The Fifth Wheel
by SilvorMoon
Summary: A story of the Alien Rangers of Aquatar. The fifth wheel gets her chance in the spotlight... if she can survive it.
1. First Day of School

_**Disclaimer:** The Power Rangers in general and the Rangers of Aquitar in particular do not belong to me. Nor do Cestria, Ninjor, and the Hydro Hog. My only inventions here are various townsfolk, the se'kanan, and Coldtooth and the other Razorfins._

_**Author's Note:** I started this story a long time ago - specifically, some two or three years ago. If anything here isn't as good as my current work, I apologize. I've done my best to spruce it up._

**First Day of School**

**By: SilvorMoon**

Cestria forced herself not to turn around as she listened to her parents' footsteps moving steadily away from her. They never hesitated, as far as she could tell, and she refused to look back to be sure. It would shame them, both in seeing that sign of weakness in the daughter they had such high hopes for and in her seeing them showing that same weakness. She couldn't help but wonder, though, if they would miss her as much as she would miss them. 

Well, there was no use in worrying over it. As long as anyone could remember, all the way back into the most ancient times, Aquitian children were sent to the Hall of Learning as soon as they were old enough to look after themselves adequately. Cestria thought her parents must not have been looking forward to sending their only child out on her own; they had allowed her to live with them for a time even after she had reached the age of maturity. 

She kept her eyes fixed firmly on the door of the building, trying to keep herself focused. The massive hall was a daunting place, built entirely of gleaming white marble with a set of pretentious steps sweeping up to the wide doorway. The doors were the only welcoming things she saw at all; they were flung wide open to admit any incoming students. They would remain open all day, but as soon as night fell, they would shut again, and they would not admit any more newcomers until the next year. This night, also, they would release any would-be students who couldn't pass their admittance exams. 

*_That would be so humiliating,_* she thought, her footsteps slowing as she reached the doors. They were larger than they had seemed from a distance, and even open, they were formidable. *_I've never taken an exam before. What if I do poorly? I don't think I could stand watching those doors shut me out, and my parents would be so disappointed. Why couldn't I have waited another year or two to grow up?_* 

"Name!" barked a voice. 

Cestria jumped. The voice seemed to come from nowhere at all. She cast around, searching for the source, and finally noticed a man in a green uniform standing in the dark hallway beyond the doors, half hidden in shadow. 

"Name!" he repeated. "Come, child, you don't have all day. Gawk later. What's your name?" 

"Cestria," she said. "Daughter of Pylaric." 

The man in green took out a thick notebook and flipped through it, muttering, "Cestria, Cestria," to himself, as if he might forget it. 

"Ah, here," he said at last. "Yes, you're on the list. Go down that hallway and turn left. The tests are being issued in room 106. Just follow the signs." 

"Thank you, sir," she replied. She slipped through the doors like a minnow darting through the seaweed that waved just beyond the glass walls of the dome. 

Tap, tap, tap... her footsteps echoed loudly in the bare rooms. Everything here was very grand, a bit overwhelming to a girl from the outskirts of the pod-cluster. Her family seldom ventured into the inner pods. Noow here she was, right in the middle of one of the most prestigious buildings in the city. She tried to take some courage from that, looking at it as an adventure. That helped a little. So did the presence of easy-to-follow signs that led her to the testing room without mishap. 

The room, she discovered, was already full of other students, some working on their entrance exams, the others amusing themselves quietly. A tall, thin, gaunt-faced man presided over the event with a dour expression, which he turned without alteration to Cestria as she walked into the room. 

"Welcome," he said, without a trace of any such thing in his voice. "I am Ossodil, Headmaster of this school. You will refer to me as Master Ossodil. Take a seat at any of the empty desks, and I will issue your test. You will answer as many questions as possible. Do not lie, do not make up any answers and do not copy anything anyone else has written on their papers. You will regret it if you do. If you do not know the answer to a question, leave it blank. Do not guess. Are there any questions?" 

"No, Master Ossodil," Cestria answered, a bit dazed by the monologue. 

"Good. Sit down, and I'll be with you in a moment." 

Cestria nodded and went in search of an empty seat. There were still several of these, clustered in the back of the room as well as scattered amidst the other students. Working in a secluded area would probably make it easier to concentrate on her work, but Cestria was eager to make new acquaintances in this overwhelming new place. 

*_The sooner I make new friends, the sooner I'll stop feeling homesick,_* she told herself. She picked out a seat among a few of her peers and began examining them with a curious gaze. 

To her left was a dark-skinned boy, serious-looking even for an Aquitian. He was still hard at work on his test, his pencil flying across the paper as if the answers might get away from him if he didn't move quickly. In front of her were two other boys, obviously known to each other, judging by the easy way that chatted and laughed. They were apparently done with their tests, and they were now amusing themselves by telekinetically arranging a pile of interlocking sticks together in midair, seeing how complex a pattern they could create before they lost their mental grip and let the construction fall. On her right, a solemn boy in black had also finished his work, and was now filling the margins of his test paper with drawings, depicting multi-legged sea creatures climbing up the page. The teacher was not amused. As he passed the boy's desk, he snatched up the paper with a glower. 

"This is not a proper place for artwork," said Master Ossodil sternly. "From this point onward, you shall draw no octopi upon your test papers!" 

A few of the students found the phrase funny and began to giggle. Master Ossodil looked up sharply, and all of the children became immediately occupied with something else. He frowned fiercely, but there was no way of pinpointing who had snickered. He turned back to Cestria and dropped a thick packet of paper on her desk. 

"Fill these out, as completely as possible, please," he said. 

Cestria nodded and began to answer the questions, hesitantly at first, and then with more confidence. She had been afraid that the questions would be difficult, but most of them were actually quite easy. Though some of them were obviously there to test her knowledge, just as many of them seemed more concerned with her personality - her likes, dislikes, hobbies, even her favorite colors! Whoever had written the test had done so cleverly. Putting the more informal questions toward the beginning set her mind at ease, and she was relaxed enough by the time she reached the difficult ones to think clearly. As nervous as she had been when she had begun, she would have gone blank and forgotten half of what her parents had taught her if she'd begun with questions of higher mathematics. She hoped it was an example of the kind of teaching that would be at this school. It would be very dreary if all the professors here were as stern as Master Ossodil. 

She finished sooner than she would have expected, and she sat up to stretch and look around. The two boys in front of her had given up on their construction, and were now playing some kind of game with a deck of cards and some colored stones. The artist had taken out a stack of clean paper, on which he could draw octopi to his heart's content. The boy in back of her was also done with his test, and now had poured a boxful of metal parts onto his desktop, and he was busily piecing them together with a set of tiny tools. His hands moved with great skill, and the bits and scraps came together as swiftly as if he were working a child's picture-puzzle. He noticed her rapt fascination and smiled at her. 

"Salutations," he said. "I am Cestro. Who are you?" 

"Cestria," she answered with a shy smile. 

Cestro grinned at her. "We have something in common! How nice." 

"What are you doing?" she asked him. 

"Building. Just watch. I'll be done in a minute," he replied. 

During the whole conversation, his hands never stopped moving. Piece by piece, his creation began to take shape, until Cestria could see that it was meant to be a crab. He added a few final touches to it, twisted a key in its underside, and wound it up. 

"Give it a push," he said, indicating a small lever. 

Curious, Cestria touched the switch, and it clicked to one side. The crab began to walk, wobbling along and clacking its claws just like a real crab. Its beady eyes bobbed on their stalks. It lumbered around in circles a few times before it finally ground to a halt in midstep. 

"Fantastic!" said Cestria. "You're very clever. It's so realistic!" 

"It was nothing, really. I make them all the time for the children at home," Cestro answered, but he looked pleased nonetheless. "You may keep it, if you like." 

"I would't want to rob you of your creation..." Cestria began. 

"Think of it as a gift. I can always make another," said Cestro. "Crabs are easy... so are octopi, for that matter," he added, with a nod in the direction of the artist. 

"It's not my fault that the Headmaster has no appreciation of artistic talent," he said. "I think my drawing is rather pleasant, is it not?" 

He held up his finished masterwork. The picture he had drawn was of a very large octopus crawling through the classroom, holding a man with an exaggeratedly gloomy face in one tentacle. Cestria giggled. 

"Quite pleasant," Cestro agreed. 

Just then, the door of the classroom opened, and a new student walked in. There were gasps and murmurs in the crowd of students, including from Cestria. The new arrival was a young woman with a regal countenance and long flowing hair. Looking at the way the two boys in front of her were staring, Cestria couldn't help running her fingers through her own short, dark fringe and sighing. The girl was very beautiful, but it wasn't just her appearance that was drawing attention. There was something about her face and eyes that put her on some other level from the other students. A silver scarf was slung over one shoulder and held beneath the other with a seashell pin. The Headmaster bowed slightly to her as she entered. 

"My lady Delphinia," he said. "Welcome to the Hall of Knowledge." 

"Thank you," she said politely. 

Trying his best to seem grand and important and managing only to look nervous, Master Ossodil ushered the young lady to an isolated seat and handed her the entrance exam without any of the stern lecturing he had given the other students. She took out a pen and began working quietly, ignoring the stares of the other students and giving them no looks in return. 

"She is... quite aesthetically pleasing," said the artist. 

"I agree completely," said one of the two boys. His friend, the thinner and quieter of the two, just looked at her, shrugged, and went back to shuffling his cards. 

"Have any of you been introduced to my friend here, yet?" asked Cestro, indicating Cestria. 

"Not as of yet," said the artist. "I am Corcus." 

"I am Aurico," said one of the two boys, wrenching his attention away from the blonde girl, "and this is Tideus." 

"Greetings," Tideus said with a smile and a nod. "Who might I have the pleasure of addressing?" 

"My name is Cestria," she answered. "Pleased to meet all of you." 

Just then, a bell began to boom out the hour - midday. Everyone looked up from their work or play as the Headmaster rapped on his desk with a pointer. 

"Meal hour has begun," he said. "If you have not yet completed your tests, close the booklets and turn them in, and I will hand them back to you when your meal is over. If you are already done, you may explore the grounds. Report back here when the next bell sounds to receive your test scores. Proceed in a quiet, orderly fashion, if you please." 

"Come," said Aurico to Cestria. "You can eat with us." 

"I'd like that," she answered. 

She tucked the mechanical crab in her purse and trailed along after Aurico, Tideus, Corcus, and Cestro. Out of the corner of her eye, she watched the young woman who had caused such a stir with her entrance as she carefully folded up her test and carried it up to the front of the room. She kept her eyes to the floor, and no one spoke to her. It was as if someone had placed an invisible shield around her that kept her from noticing or being noticed by anyone. 

"Who is she?" asked Cestria, pointing in the girl's direction. 

"A noblewoman," Cestro explained. "Or the daughter of one. The sash represents her status." 

"I suppose that means she will not be associating with us," said Aurico - a bit wistfully, Cestria thought. 

"It appears she does not care to associate with anyone," answered Corcus. "How sad." 

"I'll tell you about something sad," Tideus said. "Headmaster Oh-So-Dull and his speeches." He pulled his narrow face into an exaggerated glower and said pompously, "Ahem! I do hereby decree that thou shalt not deface thy test papers with octopi! Starfish shall only be allowed on alternating weekdays! Violations shall be dealt with most harshly!" 

The others abandoned their masks of proper solemness and let their serious expressions give way to laughter. 

"Oh, my, you sound just like him!" said Cestria. 

Tideus winked at her. "Perhaps you should report me for copying." 

"Stop fooling around," Aurico scolded him. "We are not children anymore. Try to behave like a civilized being, please." 

"I dispute that," said Cestro. "There is nothing uncivilized about seeing something foolish and presenting it in such a way that it is seen as entertaining rather than insulting. As a matter of fact, I think that a sense of humor is something we might do well to have more of - as long as it is not taken to extremes." 

"You do have to admit, the Headmaster is a bit too serious about his work," said Tideus. 

"And he doesn't appreciate art," Cestria added. "I thought they were very nice octopi." 

Corcus smiled and bowed. "Thank you. So glad you approve." 

"You are not from the city, are you?" Aurico asked her. 

"No," Cestria replied. "How did you know?" 

"Your accent," said Cestro. "City people do not talk like that. You sound so... informal." 

"Do not take it as an insult," said Tideus quickly. "Just keep it in mind. You will have an easier time fitting in here if you are more careful not to mark yourself as an outsider." 

"Oh," said Cestria, a bit taken aback. She had never even thought about her speech as a barrier between her and acceptance. 

"Hey, don't worry, we're here for you anyway!" said Tideus, in an uncanny imitation of her own lilting speech. 

"Thank you," she said. "You all are from the city, then? Do you all know each other?" 

"I know him," said Aurico, nodding to Tideus. "We grew up together." 

"All of us were early arriving," said Cestro. "We explored the campus together, so we are all somewhat acquainted with each other." 

"And what about me?" Cestria asked. 

"You?" Corcus considered. "You just fit. I have no explanation as to why, but you do." 

The others nodded solemnly. Cestria glowed. Fitting in was easier than she'd hoped. 

~*~

When the evening bell rang, all the students crowded into the room to collect the results of their tests. There were almost twice as many as there had been before, owing to the new arrivals, and the room was very crowded indeed. Cestria and her friends had difficulty finding seats close together, and she ended up sitting with two strangers in front and back of her, Cestro on her right, and the aloof Lady Delphinia on her left. She offered the young noblewoman a shy smile and was met with a cold glare. She looked away quickly. 

"Are you nervous?" Cestro asked her. 

"Very," she replied honestly. "I've never done anything like this before. I would hate it so much if I had to go back home. My parents would be so ashamed." 

"I have faith that you will be accepted," said Cestro. "You do not strike me as unintelligent. Only the most hopeless are turned away." 

"I hope you're right," she said. "My parents wanted so much for me. We don't have a lot of money. They wanted me to live a better life than they did." 

"If you made it this far, I think you have nothing to worry about," he replied. "Look around you. How many other females do you see?" 

Cestria did as she was told, counting. There did seem to be a disproportionately small number of females present, and most of them wore scarves or sashes that marked them as part of the upper crust, though she couldn't see anyone other than Lady Delphinia who wore a silver scarf. 

"I think I'm outnumbered," she said. 

Cestro smiled reassuringly. "You have made it further than most young women do. Most of them do not even bother to try. You will do well." 

Just then, the Headmaster rapped sharply on his desk. "Order! Order! May I have your attention?" he shouted. 

The room fell silent as all eyes turned to him. Cestria held her breath. Next to her, Lady Delphinia was calmly inspecting her fingernails, as if this were all very dull and unimportant. 

"I have the results of your tests," Master Ossodil said, gesturing at several stacks of envelopes. "In these, you will find your scores, your selected courses of study, and your roommate assignments. You will report to your rooms for the night once you receive your scores. If any of you are caught trying to exchange rooms, you will be dealt with most severely. Is that understood?" 

"Yes, Master Ossodil," the students chanted. 

Cestria tried to stifle the urge to squirm in her seat as the teacher went about the laborious process of distributing envelopes. The other students were doing such a good job of preserving the illusion of unconcern... or maybe this all was no big deal to them. She had heard that there were some who didn't care for the idea of going to school, but it had always struck her as strange, not like something she would ever encounter in her lifetime. How could anyone be so calm when their future was at stake? Perhaps they had family businesses they could go into, or could arrange for apprenticeships somewhere, but Cestria didn't think she could bear going back to her home pod and living the rest of her days as a farmer. 

Her hands were shaking when she finally accepted the packet. It was heavier than it looked, made of thick, rough paper that completely obscured whatever was inside, and she hesitated to open it. As long as it was shut, she could go on hoping that the news inside was good. 

Cestro ripped his envelope open with the tip of a small screwdriver and spilled the contents across his desktop. The top sheet had a large red stamp on it, spelling out the word, "ACCEPTED." In other parts of the room, cheers and groans could be heard as the other students learned their fates. Lady Delphinia actually yawned as she slit her packet open with one perfect nail, glancing casually at the acceptance letter before pushing it back in the envelope again. Cestro looked at Cestria with curiosity. 

"Are you going to open it?" he asked. 

She shoved the packet in his direction. "You open it. I'm too afraid." 

Cestro shrugged and did as he was told. His screwdriver slashed the envelope open in one easy stroke, and he peered inside. He slid out the top sheet. Cestria covered her eyes. 

"It says, 'You are hereby accepted to the School of Healing. We congratulate you on a job well done and welcome you to our school.'" 

Cestria looked up in complete shock. "I got in? Really? I made it?" 

"It appears so," Cestro replied. "Do you want your papers back now?" 

To Cestro's amazement, she leaped out of her desk and hugged him. She took the envelope from his nerveless hand while he was still realizing what had just happened. He turned to stare at her in puzzlement as she read over her acceptance letter again and again, smiling broadly. People did not act like that in the city at all - not, he reflected, that it wasn't a charming mannerism. 

Eventually, Cestria felt comfortable enough with her achievement to look at the rest of her packet. There were two schedules, one for the schoolwide events and one that outlined her daily classes. There was also a set of well-drawn maps, so that she wouldn't get lost in the sprawling campus and massive buildings, and a list of rules and regulations. The very last page was her rooming information - her dormitory, room number, and the identity of her roommate. By the time she reached the bottom of the page, she was feeling as shocked as she had when she had been as she'd listened to Cestro announcing her acceptance. She let out a small gasp. 

"You certainly are excitable," said a voice. 

Cestria proved the speaker right by jumping. She turned to face Lady Delphinia. 

"You're going to have to get used to it," she said, with boldness born of her surprise. "We're going to be roommates." 

~*~

Cestria was the first to arrive in her new room. It was a good room, she thought, as she surveyed the neat little cube of space she would be occupying for the next few months. The walls were painted pale blue, and the floor was carpeted in a darker shade - nothing luxurious, but enough to keep the room from looking stark. The two matching beds were arranged beneath the windows that looked out into the open ocean, offering a pleasant view of fish and plant life. Everything was arranged in a mirror-image style, with desks and wardrobes and dressers all facing each other across the room. Right now, it looked very plain, but that would change quickly once someone moved in and started adding personal items. She had a few of her own things, but they were mostly practical rather than decorative, and she briefly considered whether she could convince Corcus to part with some of his artwork to adorn her walls. She wondered what kind of decorations her roommate might have. 

Closer inspection of the room revealed that both beds had small name tags resting on the pillows. Cestria stared in puzzlement at the card that bore her own name, wondering why the school felt the need to monitor her life right down to which bed she slept in. She had been hoping for a bit more personal freedom than that! She hadn't realized just how spoiled she had been back home, where she had been free to come and go as she pleased. Before homesickness could renew its grip on her, she dropped her suitcase on her bed and set about the chore of putting all her things away. Lifting out the first of her outfits, she went to open the wardrobe... and everything made sense. She laughed aloud. 

Hanging in the wardrobe were a row of school uniforms, all in royal shades of purple and gold. She trailed her fingers across the smooth material of one of the shirts, touching it lightly, as if she thought it might tear or vanish. She compared it to the simple garments she held in her other hand and decided she could forgive the school for taking away some of her freedom. Even a noblewoman like Lady Delphinia wouldn't find any fault with these clothes. 

"Where is she, anyway?" Cestria wondered aloud. "It doesn't take that long to get here." 

She looked at the door, half-expecting the words to cue the young woman's appearance, but she did not arrive. Cestria shrugged. Delphinia wasn't very friendly, anyway, and in the meantime, she had new clothes to try on. Not caring that there were only a few hours left of the day, she slipped out of her more ordinary costume and into one of the school's outfits. 

Just as she was pulling on her new gold boots and wondering where the school had discovered her shoe size, the door finally opened, admitting a rather puzzled-looking Lady Delphinia. Cestria looked up in curiosity. 

"They refuse to change it," were Delphinia's first words. 

"I'm sorry. Change what?" 

"Our room assignments," Delphinia replied. "I asked if one of us could be reassigned, but they said there was nothing they could do. I am sorry." 

Cestria was glad she was sitting down. Lady Delphinia was apologizing to her? 

"Sorry? Whatever for?" she managed to ask. 

"Because you have to live with me," said Delphinia. "I know you would prefer living with someone... closer to your level." 

"What do you mean?" 

Delphinia didn't appear to be listening. She had started a speech, and she intended to finish it without interruption. 

"And we are not even studying the same subjects. You will be a Healer - you need the company and guidance of other Healers. I will be learning only how to rule when my parents are gone; there is nothing you can learn from me." 

"Let me get this straight," said Cestria. "You're upset because you think I should be upset that I'm living with you?" 

"Well, yes," Delphinia replied, looking startled. "Are you not?" 

"Of course not!" Cestria replied. "Whatever gave you that idea?" 

"My parents. They told me that the ordinary people would not want to talk to me. They said no one here would be able to understand me... and I was afraid I would not understand you. I have never had the opportunity to spend time with many people, until now. I know nothing about what you talk about or what you do or how you act-" 

"And how do you expect to learn if you never talk to us?" asked Cestria. "How can you ever expect to lead people if you don't know how they think?" 

"I don't know!" said Delphinia unhappily. She sounded so completely lost that Cestria couldn't resist trying to comfort her. 

"Oh, now don't get upset!" she begged. "It will be all right, really. Just relax." She rested a comforting hand on the other girl's shoulder and felt her flinch away. 

"How will it be all right? I have no idea what I should be doing," said Delphinia. 

"You can start by learning to talk to people. We really don't bite," Cestria assured her. "I know people who would love to meet you." 

"Really? Who?" 

"Some of my friends," said Cestria, thinking of Aurico and Corcus. "I'll introduce them to you tomorrow. I think you should like them." 

"You are so lucky to have friends here already... but it is easy to understand why. You are a very kind girl." 

"You talk like you don't have anyone." 

"Do I?" 

"Well, you have me," said Cestria. "You aren't the only student in this school who has to learn to fit in. Don't you think I stand out?" 

"Now that you mention it... your accent is a bit distinct." 

"Then I'll tell you what. You tell me how to get by in the big city and I'll help you meet some people. Deal?" 

Lady Delphinia finally smiled. "You will do well here, I think. You certainly have enthusiasm. I think I will accept your offer. What is your name?" 

"Cestria." 

"I am Lady Delphinia... but you may call me Delphine," she added, almost shyly. "It is what my family calls me. If we are going to be friends, I would rather not have to deal with titles." 

"Thank you. I'm honored," said Cestria. 

"You mean _you are_ honored," Delphine corrected her gently. "We will have to work on that, I think." 

"I know. I really will try," Cestria said. "So, tell me about where you came from. I want to know what it's like to live in a palace." 

"It was not a palace... but I will be glad to tell you about it anyway if you tell me about where you grew up. Perhaps we will learn something from each other, after all." 

~*~

Cestria caused a bit of a stir when she arrived at breakfast the next morning. Actually, it was Delphine who drew all the attention, walking alongside her roommate and chatting quietly. All the other students in the room stared, intrigued at the sight of the aloof young noblewoman and the shy country girl walking side by side as if it were the most natural thing in the world. Cestria smiled quietly, enjoying the thunderstruck looks of her other friends as she sat down at their table. 

"Good morning," she said. "I hope none of you mind that I brought a friend." 

"All friends are perfectly welcome," said Cestro. "It is an honor to be visited by such a distinguished guest." 

"Thank you," Delphine answered. "May I know who I have the pleasure of addressing?" 

"This is Tideus," said Cestria, "and that's Aurico, Corcus, and Cestro. Everyone, this is Delphine. She's my roommate." 

"I am very pleased to make your acquaintance," said Delphine graciously. 

"The pleasure is ours," Aurico answered with a slight bow. 

"Enough formalities!" Tideus cut in. "I find them very tiresome. Can we please have some real conversation?" 

"What would we talk about?" Corcus asked. 

"For starters, what about our classes?" asked Cestro. "What is everyone taking? I have Mechanics, naturally." 

"Today, I have Beginning Medicine," said Cestria. 

"Art," Corcus said with a smile. "They planned to put me in some other course, but they liked the pictures I drew on the test so much that they changed their minds. It would have been a waste of talent, they said." 

"I _told_ you they were nice octopi," Cestria replied. 

"Self-Defense," said Aurico in bored tones, "and Military History. Someone has decided that my destiny is to be a soldier." 

"You would be good at it," Tideus replied. "You were always better at it than I was. I'll be taking Natural Sciences." 

"All your studies sound so much more interesting than mine," said Delphine. "I have been assigned Politics, and I will be the first to tell you that there is no drier subject in the universe." 

"Everything becomes dull if you do it often enough," Corcus pointed out. "Interest comes from curiosity." 

"Then why do you not grow bored with your art?" Delphine asked. 

"Because, Art is a passion, and one does not grow bored of passion." 

"You look so serious when you say that," said Tideus. 

"I _am_ serious," Corcus answered, looking affronted. 

"I think he was teasing," said Aurico. 

As the boys began an argument, Delphine watched, smiling with faint amusement. 

"You have very interesting friends," she said to Cestria. "I might enjoy listening to them." 

Cestria smiled back and nodded. "I think you might." 

The discussions continued well after they had finished their morning meal, and Delphine eventually grew comfortable enough with her dining companions to join in the debate. Cestria was pleased; her new group of friends seemed to be working out just fine. As Corcus had said yesterday, they all just _fit_ with each other, in the same mysterious way all their new school uniforms fit. They didn't part company until the bell began to ring again, warning students that it was time to go to their classes. They said goodbye to one another before hurrying off to other parts of the shcool, and Cestria found herself walking alongside Aurico. 

"You really are living with Lady Delphinia?" he asked. 

"She prefers to be called Delphine," Cestria replied. "And yes, I am." 

"What is she like?" 

"Well... she's rather reserved, but very nice once you get to know her. It's just that she has been raised to be so proper, and she never really had any real friends before. That's why she wouldn't talk to anyone the first day." 

"I see," said Aurico thoughtfully. "We will have to make sure she is not lonely here." 

"I agree," Cestria said. Aurico didn't appear to hear her. 

"Well, it has been nice talking to you," Aurico said. "Enjoy your classes. I will see you later." 

Before Cestria could reply, he darted down a hall and was lost in the crowd. While she was still trying to adjust to his abrupt disappearance, another one of her friends miraculously appeared next to her. 

"Hello again," said Corcus, smiling shyly. 

"Hello," she said. "If you are looking for Aurico, he went that way." 

"Well, actually, I was looking for you," he admitted. "Or, well, actually... I did want to ask you a favor. It is not anything large. I was just wondering if you might possibly talk to Delphine and... just put in a good word for me. Please?" 

Cestria looked into his pleading eyes. A number of replies went through her mind, but she settled on the easiest. 

"I'll be sure to do that," she said. "Perhaps you could visit sometime? Our room is a bit bare. Your artistic touch would be very welcome." 

His look of apprehension melted away to a smile. "I would be glad to. Thank you, Cestria. Have a good day." 

"You, too," she replied. He waved goodbye to her as he wandered away. 

*_He's so nice,_* Cestria thought, *_and so talented. I'm sure Delphine could learn to like him... but what would Aurico do then?_* 

~*~

The only part of Aquitar where none of the pod-cluster cities had been built to illuminate the deep ocean was in a place where the water was eternally and impenetrably black. No lights would pierce it, and it was bitter and unwholesome to drink. No Aquitians could live long in the blighted place - that strange black water didn't provide them the revitalizing forces they needed to survive. However, the rumors told that there was still something living in the depths of the Dark Waters. 

Some said he was true Aquitian in origin, metamorphosed by magic or dark science. Some said he was a remnant of some ancient race that had all but died out. A few thought he was from some other world altogether, but most deemed that unlikely. It seemed most probable that he was some kind of mutant, both like and unlike the more peaceful Aquitian beings. He was a bloated, fishlike creature of great power and evil temperament. He called himself the Hydro Hog. 

A servant, limp and shriveled as dead seaweed rotting on the shore, half slithered into its master's throne room. Its skin had a diseased look, as if it were withering and falling away even as the creature still lived. It tottered along on skeletal legs, its form hunched and scuttling, as if it expected to be whipped at any moment. The whole thing looked like it might decompose and fall to dust where it stood... all except for its eyes. They were very alive, wide and full of fear. Trying to pull the rags it wore around its body so that it would be covered in some semblance of decency, it padded into the darkness of the great hall. 

The hall echoed. Water bubbled and dripped from pipes running up and down the walls, and the sounds of rushing and dripping rebounded off the room's slick surfaces until it sounded like the chamber was about to be flooded. The servant tried to block out the noise, but the floor itself trembled from the constant vibration, and he couldn't help shivering as well. He knew all that water meant power, and this was the center of the power. It could all be turned on him at any moment. For a moment, he was frozen in place, teeth chattering in blind terror. 

"Who's there?" growled a voice from the shadows. "I hear your miserable knees knocking! Come out and show yourself, coward!" 

"P-p-p-please don't hurt me, my lord!" the thing begged. Its voice was a thin squeak. 

"I'll hurt you if I feel like it! Don't you tell me what to do!" 

The servant shrieked and fell prostrate, quaking. Out of the darkness, the mammoth form of his master came to loom over him, and he kept his face pressed to the cold, damp floor, not daring to look up. The Hydro Hog kicked him in the ribs, and a crackling noise resounded through the hall. The servant shrieked again, but remained where he was. 

"Well? Speak!" the Hydro Hog demanded. "If you don't tell me what you're doing here and tell me now, I'll have you thrown on the beach to bake like the half-rotten jellyfish you are!" 

"The p-p-p-plans," the servant whispered weakly. A bit of blood fell from its lips and dripped on the floor. "They... are... comp-p-p-plete." 

It gave a final, shuddering gasp, and then lay still. The Hydro Hog kicked it again, but there was no reaction. He snapped his thick fingers, letting the dull pop ring through the air. Other creatures glided out of the shadows, forms with sharp fins making jagged silhouettes against darkness. 

"Dispose of that," he said, "and then rally the rest of the guard. We're moving out." 

~*~

"All right, Cestria. Stay just like that, perfectly still." 

"This isn't a very comfortable position. How long do I have to stay like this?" 

"Just a little while," Corcus assured her, his pencil flying across his sketch pad. "Just let me rough it in, and then you can stretch a little. This is only for practice, anyway." 

Cestria, Corcus, Cestro, Aurico, and Delphine were gathered in a small courtyard, working on various homework assignments. Delphine sat primly in the grass, delicately turning over the leaves of a dull-looking book. Cestria was also peering at a book, trying to read it without moving around too much and spoiling her pose. Aurico was free from such encumberments as paper and pencils; he was practicing his routines for his Self Defense class, making sure that Delphine could plainly see how skilled he was. She did glance up at him occasionally, but that was just as likely to be because her book was so boring, rather than any particular interest she had in him. Cestro was sitting in the corner with a small electric device in his lap and a toolbox in front of him, frowning as he tried to coax the machine into working. Every once in a while, it would shoot off a spark, making everyone jump, and Corcus would have to erase a line from his drawing. 

"Why is it always Cestria you ask to model?" Cestro asked, pausing to glance at his friend's progress. 

"Because you aren't pretty enough," said Aurico. Corcus ignored him, but Cestria giggled a bit. 

"She is a very good model," Corcus explained. "It takes real talent to sit perfectly still for so long." 

"My arm is full of pins and needles," she complained. "Are you sure I can't move yet?" 

"Go ahead. I finished that part already." 

Aurico finished his set of exercises and went to have a look at the picture. "That is very nice. You have made a remarkable likeness of her." 

"As I said, she is a good subject," said Corcus, but he sounded pleased nonetheless. 

"Might I have a look?" asked Delphine, putting her book aside. 

"Well, it isn't yet finished, so I'm not sure-" 

"Everyone else gets to look," Cestria interrupted. "Hold it up, Corcus. I want to see, too. I promise I won't say anything if I don't like it." 

"Oh, all right." Corcus held up his sketch pad like a white flag of surrender, and the girls leaned forward to peer at it. 

"Oh, that's nice!" said Cestria. "But it isn't fair. You draw me prettier than I am." 

"Not so," Delphine said. "I think it is a perfect likeness. You are a wonderful artist, Corcus. I would rather have talent like that than be a queen." 

"Thank you," answered Corcus, blushing slightly. 

Just then, Tideus dashed into the courtyard, grinning broadly. 

"There you all are!" he said. "I've been searching for you. I was starting to think I would have to leave without you." 

"Leave?" asked Aurico. "Where are you going?" 

"Up," Tideus replied. 

"Up?" Cestria repeated. "You mean, to the surface?" 

"Precisely," answered Tideus. "It is my assignment for my Natural Sciences class. I am to go to the surface and collect specimens of the plant life, and I have been given permission to borrow a small aquacraft. Would any of you care to join me?" 

"A brief respite would be welcome," Delphine admitted, closing her book. 

"I'll come," Corcus added. "The light is different up there. I should be able to capture some interesting views." 

"Count me in," said Aurico. "I haven't been to the surface in ages." 

"I've never been there at all," Cestria added. 

"We will all come," said Cestro decisively. 

"Fine. Follow me, then," said Tideus. He turned and began walking away, beckoning for his friends to follow. Carrying their various personal belongings, they hurried along after him. 

~*~

Cestria was amazed at how calm her friends were as the little aquacraft floated up through the dark waters. Tideus guided the ship with the expert touch of one who had done what he was doing a hundred times, and the others chatted with each other as if they were only on a bus to the library. As for Cestria herself, she stayed near the window, watching the city grow further away and the water shade from midnight to royal to turquoise blue. Little colored fish flitted by, different than any she had ever seen on the ocean floor. Then they found the shelf of a nearby island, and there was coral and anemones and even more rainbow fish. If the shallows were this exotic, what must the land be like? 

"This is where we are heading," said Tideus, pointing at a small green blip on his map. "It is a bit out of the way, but I'm hoping to find something there that no one else brings in. The more specimens we can gather, the more complete our study will be." 

"Are you sure it is prudent to go wandering around on unexplored islands?" asked Cestro. 

"It will be all right," Tideus assured him. "This is only a very small island. I doubt any of us could get lost even if we tried, and large predators like wide spaces. Just be careful not to step on anything that bites." 

"Nothing would dare bite Aurico," said Delphine. 

"Oh?" asked Aurico. "Why do you say that?" 

"Because," she answered, "I would not put it past you to bite back." 

Aurico looked insulted. Delphine gave him her most regal smile, and Cestria giggled. 

Soon, the craft slid out of the water and lay on the beach like a tired sea turtle. Aurico opened the door and took the first steps out into the air. The others followed nonchalantly. Cestria stared. 

"It's so bright!" she exclaimed, shading her eyes from the brilliance. 

"No water to protect us from the sun," said Tideus. "Strange, eh? You'll adjust in a minute." 

"Oh, I don't mind. I think it's beautiful!" Cestria replied. 

She stepped out on the sand, watching the water lapping at the shore. She had heard of currents and tides, but seeing the water moving was another thing entirely. It was odd, too, being above the surface instead of hundreds of feet below it, and not being surrounded by immeasurable gallons of water. The air up here was lighter... and it moved, she realized in amazement, just like the water. Everything here was so _alive_. 

"Is it not incredible?" said Delphine, standing at her friend's side. "I remember when I first saw all this as a little girl. You remind me of myself - so excited." 

"I am excited," Cestria admitted. "Just look at all the flowers! They have nothing like this back where I come from." 

"They do not survive well under the deep waters," explained Tideus. "Explore a little, if you like. I will be busy here for a while." 

"I think I'll do that," Cestria agreed. "Who knows when I'll have another chance?" 

She ambled along the beach for a while, savoring the tangy sea-smell and listening to its hypnotic rushing. A few pink and blue seashells were half buried in the sand, and she picked up a small collection of them. The seagulls fascinated her, things that moved through the air like fish. What held them up if there was no water beneath them? Then, off in the distance, she spied something, a blackish lump lying on the shore. Curious, she moved a little closer... and screamed. 

Her friends came running, but froze in their tracks as they spotted the object in the sand. It was a body, something shaped almost like one of their own kind, but horribly deformed. Its dark skin hung loosely from its skeleton, as if the muscle had been drawn out, leaving only an empty husk. There was something leprous about that skin, or perhaps molded, dark and slimy. The face was frozen in an expression of pain and horror, with a faint splotch of blackish blood at its mouth. The eyes were open and staring, glazed in death. 

"What is it?" asked Tideus. 

"Better ask, what was it?" Aurico replied. "I think this thing has already taken its last breath... whatever it is." 

"It looks to me as if it has been gone a long time," said Corcus in faint disgust. "Do we have to stand here and look at it? It's probably rotten." 

"No, look here," said Cestria, overcoming her aversion enough to kneel next to it. "This blood is fresh. It hasn't been here more than a few hours, I think. It's resting peacefully. It looks like it didn't have a happy life. Poor thing." 

"I have never seen anything like it," said Cestro, moving closer to get a look at it. "Is it one of us, or..." 

"I recognize it," Delphine said quietly. "It is _se'kanan_. They were bred as slaves." 

"But that's not possible!" Aurico spluttered. "Slavery is outlawed! No one would dare keep a slave these days, and they would not leave it here on the beach for someone to find if they did." 

"How many people come on the beach?" asked Tideus rhetorically. "This is a remote island. No one ever comes here except for students like us... and most of those go to the islands that are a bit more conveniently located." 

"I cannot explain how this creature came to be here," said Delphine. "I was told that the _se'kanan_ perished centuries ago, and yet this one lived when the sun rose this morning." 

"Maybe we should go home," Corcus said. "Something wrong is going on here." 

"If something wrong is happening, we ought to look into it," said Aurico. "We could find it. There is not a lot of ground to cover. We could search the whole island in no time." 

"Do we want to find whatever caused this?" asked Cestria. 

"Someone needs to look into it," Delphine said, "but I do not know if we are the ones." 

"If someone does come out here, they would want more evidence than this," said Tideus. "There is only so much that can be divined from a dead body." 

"I say we have a duty to investigate further," Aurico insisted. "There is no need to launch a full-scale attack, assuming there really is something here. All we need to do is explore a little and see if we find anything suspicious." 

"I concur," said Tideus. "There is a crime being committed somewhere, and I say that if we can prevent it, we should." 

"Delphine, let's go with them," said Cestria, "for the sake of this poor creature. Nobody deserves to live like this." 

"Oh, very well," Delphine said. "You do have a point. Let us make an exploration, but can we please be careful?" 

"Of course," said Aurico. "We can split up in pairs, and we will all meet back at the aquacraft in a half-mark. If anyone is not back by that time, we go searching for them." 

"A good plan," Cestro agreed. "I move we follow it." 

There were murmurs of agreement. The group paired off, Aurico with Tideus, Cestro with Corcus, and Cestria with Delphine. With a few final exhortations to be careful, they set out, each team in a different direction. 

Cestria was relieved that Delphine chose to go into the forest. She was still a little in awe of her friend, and she didn't enjoy arguing with her unless it was absolutely necessary. Still, she might have said something if they had continued walking along the beach. The sun was not at all pleasant as it beat on her sensitive skin, and the contrasting shade of the trees and humid air was a blessing. The trees held in the moisture of the earth, and that meant she would dry out that much more slowly. Besides, there was so much more to see in the forest - every kind of vegetation imaginable bloomed there, and strange animals and birds roamed through the foliage. It was hard to imagine that anything sinister could really be happening amidst all this splendor. 

"How did you know the name of that thing?" asked Cestria. "What did you call it? A sek... seka..." 

"_Se'kanan,_" Delphine supplied. "It is actually part of an old legend. I only half believed that they existed at all, but that one matches the descriptions I have heard perfectly. The legend says that centuries ago, there arose from the depths of the earth a terrible demon, or some kind of monster. They called it the Taker. It had the power to steal the life right out of people's bodies and leave them drained of all strength. Some of these people were stolen and poisoned, body and spirit, until all they could ever be were the monster's slaves. That is what _se'kanan_ means: _it is broken_. However, the legend also said that a mighty wizard came and brought forth five lights, and the lights became warriors that fought the monster off and banished it to the darkness forever." She considered a moment. "No one ever mentioned what became of the _se'kanan_, though. Perhaps some of them are still living, somewhere." 

"I hope that's all it is," Cestria said. "I don't want to think that whatever created that thing is still out there, hiding somewhere... maybe here." 

"How could it be? That happened a thousand years ago, if it happened at all." 

"I know, but some things live that long. And we have physical proof that the legend has at least a little reality in it." 

"All legends do," said Delphine with a shrug. "A wise man once said that it is best not to believe in things until you have a good reason to think that they exist. As for me, I will not be believing in demons and monsters until I see them." 

"I see something," said Cestria. "Do you see it? Up ahead, there's something white." 

Delphine stared. "I believe you are right. That does not look natural. Do you think we should look more closely, or should we go looking for the others?" 

Cestria paused and examined her find. It was difficult to see from this distance, not only because there were so many trees and bushes in the way, but because the structure itself was so overgrown with vines. It was only here and there that she could make out a glint of white stone. She thought she could pick out designs beneath the foliage. It must have been a magnificent place once, she thought, admiring a statue that peeked out at her among the leaves. It almost looked like a temple. 

"I think it wouldn't hurt to look," she said. "There is something about this place that doesn't feel evil. I think it might even welcome us." 

They moved forward. The closer they came, the more they could pick out the details of the structure. The outside of it seemed to be covered with carved designs, sculptures of animals and fish leaping across the walls, half-lost in a sea of greenery. Even the profusion of plant life did nothing to dim its inherent beauty. The vines only softened the angles, without disguising its graceful lines, and a multitude of colored flowers bejeweled its surface and cast up their perfume as incense. 

*_There's no one here,_* thought Cestria. *_Whoever built this place took pride in it. They would never let it be overgrown like this if they were still here to look after it._* 

"Look!" said Delphine. "I think I can see a door." 

They ascended the front steps, being careful to avoid tripping over the snarled vines. There was indeed a large stone door set on pretentious metal hinges, which had somehow managed to resist rusting or corroding over the years - they looked as if they had been forged yesterday. The door had probably been closed long ago, but probing roots and stems had gradually forced it open a tiny crack, revealing mysteriously inviting darkness within the temple. Unfortunately, those same climbing plants were holding it firmly in place, and it didn't look as if it would move again, except on their terms. Cestria and Delphine exchanged looks. 

"It is a bit daunting, is it not?" Delphine commented. 

"Even if all those plants and things weren't in the way, I still don't think I could move that," said Cestria. "It's too bad. I wanted to see what there is inside." 

"I rather doubt we will be able to, unless we come back with several helpers and several pairs of hedge trimmers. Besides, if there is no one here, as appears to be the case, I do not think we will learn anything relevant to what we wish to know." 

"Maybe," Cestria admitted, "but I still wonder..." 

She trailed her hand along the edge of the door, stirring the leaves. A little shiver ran through the vines, not only where she touched them, but across the length and breadth of the door and onwards across the floor and ceiling, rippling beneath the feet of the amazed onlookers. The portal creaked a little on its hinges. Cestria touched it lightly, and it swung open, almost of its own accord. What little light there was spilled through the opening, pointing the way. 

"Well," said Delphine, "that was an omen if ever I saw one." 

"Have you ever seen one?" 

"Not until now. Come. I think we are meant to explore here, after all." 

They slipped silently through the door. It did not, as they had half expected, slam shut on them, but continued to stand there just like a normal door, and not one that opened by itself at a touch. Nor did any magical lights spring into being as they entered. The most remarkable thing was that the meager light that did filter in managed to reflect and scatter throughout the room so that, even if it wasn't precisely bright, there was still enough illumination for them to see where they were going. All they needed was that tiny touch of magic to show them all there was to see... practically nothing. 

They walked in slowly, the hard soles of their boots clicking loudly in the empty room. Though the room was all but empty, there was the feeling of significance was heavy in the air, warning them that their presence was only accepted, not welcomed. All they could see were bare walls, painted with more beasts, birds, fish, and stars, forming patterns that could only be half- seen in the darkness. The floor was done in a mosaic, depicting a large circle with extending rays around it set in the middle of the room. The far wall had a kind of altar set against it, inlaid with a large round glass, slightly curved, like a lens. There was writing above it, but the characters were unfamiliar to Cestria. 

"Can you read these?" she asked Delphine. "Or are they even words?" 

"They are words. It is an old language... I am not sure I can translate all of it, especially in the dark." 

In response to her words, the crystal on the altar lit itself, throwing up rays of light like blue fire. Delphine's jaw dropped in a most uncharacteristic expression of disbelief. 

"All right, maybe I can read it now," she said. "It says... let me see... 'A world of water, a world of earth, and a world of three to make three - these shall come together to wield the Power in times of need. In this place, the Power came to rest. Let all people of Aquitar remember.'" 

As soon as she finished reading, the light went out... but not quite. Sparks still danced across the crystal, as if it were not yet sure it had finished its task. The two girls stared at it. 

"I could be wrong," Cestria said, "but I think we might have found something significant." 

"I think that would be one of the greater understatements I have heard in a long time," said Delphine. "We should definitely tell the others about this." 

"I think we should look around more closely, first. Whoever it was didn't build this temple just for a little writing on the wall and a fancy lamp. There's got to be something else in here." 

"That may be so," interrupted a voice, "but you are not going to find it!" 

Both girls jumped as a tiny image sprang into being above the crystal. It appeared to be a man in heavy blue armor that was trimmed in gold. Though the flickering hologram was only six inches tall, it hovered high enough to be on eye level with the girls, and still managed to give the impression of looking down on them. 

"Just what do you think you're doing here, anyway?" he demanded. 

"We were... just looking," Cestria stammered. "We didn't mean any harm. We were just trying to-" 

"Well, you'll have to do it somewhere else," said the armored figure. "In case you haven't noticed, this is _not_ public property. Now, get out of here, little girls, before I get annoyed with you." 

Delphine looked affronted - after all, she was nobility, and she knew it. 

"Who do you think you are calling a little girl?" she demanded. "Just who do you think you are, pushing us around like this? By what authority do you speak? Answer, or I will show you what happens when _I_ get annoyed." 

"You dare presume to give me orders?" asked the man-image. "Well, I'll show you! Watch this!" 

There was a sudden rushing noise, or maybe it was a clap of thunder. Whatever it was, it sent tremors through the floor that nearly threw both the young explorers off their feet. When they recovered their balance and looked up, they instantly realized the dangers of talking back to an angry hologram. 

The little image of flickering light had taken on solidarity, as well as gaining several feet in height. Now the armored figure really could stare down at them, and his dark visor did not look at all friendly, nor did the sword slung casually on his back. He stood with his fists resting on his hips, daring them to challenge his authority. 

"You still want to know who I am? _I am Ninjor!_ I am the creator of this temple and the one who kept this whole planet from turning into a wasteland a millennium ago, and this is the thanks I get! You two apologize _right now_ for insulting me, or I will make you _very_ sorry you set foot in here!" 

"We're sorry, we're sorry!" said Cestria, holding up her hands in a placating gesture. "We didn't know this was yours, really!" 

"I am not sorry!" Delphine said. "You have no right to be calling me names like that. If anyone should be apologizing, it is you. We had no idea this place belonged to you. Judging from the outside, no one has been here in years, so we assumed there was no one here. If you had just asked _politely_ for us to leave, we would have." 

"I am one of the last remaining Gridmasters in the universe. I don't have to be polite if I don't want to." He appeared to be trying to sound grand and lofty. Cestria thought it sounded like he was pouting. 

"My father always told me that noble blood is no excuse for bad manners," said Delphine. "If you were all that important, I would think you would have the grace to act like it." 

The armored figure cast about for a retort, but he couldn't think of anything. He sighed. 

"Oh, all right," he said sulkily. "I'm sorry I yelled at you and called you little girls. I won't do it again, but I'd very much appreciate it if you would go away and leave me alone. Please?" 

"That is better," said Delphine. "Come, Cestria. It is clear we are not wanted here." 

"Wait," Cestria replied. "I think we owe our new friend an explanation, seeing as how we were trespassing in his temple and all." 

"We do?" asked Delphine, confused. 

"Of course we do!" Cestria replied, with a subtle wink. "Manners, remember?" 

"Oh. Yes. Of course. Explain it for him, then." 

"Yes, do that," said Ninjor. Delphine gave him a look, and he added, "Please." 

"We are looking for information," said Cestria. She told him about how she had discovered the body of the _se'kanan,_ and how the group had split up to explore the island in search of clues about its origin. The mage listened solemnly. 

"I was hoping," Cestria finished at last, "that you could provide us some insight, you being so wise and powerful and all. You're sure to know so much more than us." 

The flattery seemed to please her new acquaintance; some of the initial hostility drained out of his attitude. He considered for a moment, staring up at the letters on the wall as if he expected the answers to be written there. 

"I remember the _se'kanan,_" he said. "They were the slaves of an evil creature called the Hydro Hog. Long ago, I chose warriors to defend your world from his destruction, and they sealed him away at the bottom of the darkest ocean. If his servants are resurfacing, it won't be long before the master follows. Perhaps it is a good thing you came here, after all... did you say you have friends?" 

"Yes," said Delphine, surprised at the abrupt change of subject. "We came here with four others." 

Ninjor made some mental calculations, and apparently came up with a number he liked. He nodded decisively. 

"I've been out of circulation for too long," he said. "Perhaps it's time I made a comeback." 

So saying, he made a gesture and pulled a handful of seashells out of the air. He delivered one to Cestria and poured the rest into Delphine's cupped hands. They were brilliantly white, glittering even in the dark room. 

"Keep one and give the rest to your friends," he said. "When danger strikes, these will bring you all back here, and I'll give you something useful." 

"How useful is it?" Delphine asked. 

Ninjor shrugged. "It saved the world once. Go now. I will probably see you again soon. Be ready for anything... and may the Power protect you." 

There was a brilliant flash of blue light that filled their vision with dancing after-images. When they could see again, the armored warrior was gone. The temple looked dark and haunted. 

"I think we have worn out our welcome," said Delphine. 

"For now, anyway," Cestria replied, "but I don't think he'll turn us away next time." She slipped the seashell into her pocket, and they walked out into the light and warmth of the forest. The door closed itself behind them. 

~*~

"All right," said Aurico, "tell me this so I can understand it. You say you met some kind of wizard in a temple out there in the woods?" 

Cestria nodded. "You could see for yourself, if you wanted... only I don't think he would let us back in. He wasn't very sociable." 

"He gave us these," Delphine said, holding up the white shells. "Each of you are to have one." 

Corcus picked up a shell and studied it. It glittered in rainbow colors in the bright sunshine, as if it were a diamond instead of the cast-off husk of a sea creature. "I have never encountered any magic before, but this does not look like your usual seashell. Maybe it does have power." 

"Monsters and legends," Aurico muttered. "It has been an interesting morning. I am beginning to think this is all just a little large for just the six of us." 

"I agree," said Cestro. "Someone needs to hear about this." 

"But will they believe it?" Tideus asked. "We do not precisely have any proof that there are any monsters and wizards here. All we have are six seashells and a dead _se'kanan._" 

"They will have to be enough," said Delphine. "We do have the fate of the world to consider." 

"Does that mean we have to bring that... _thing_ back home with us?" asked Corcus in faint horror. 

"How else are we going to show it to anyone?" asked Cestro matter-of-factly. 

"Well, I am not going to touch it," said Corcus. 

"Me neither," Cestria agreed. 

"I thought you felt sorry for it," said Delphine. 

"I did," said Cestria, "but that still doesn't mean I want to touch it." 

"Stop arguing. _I_ will do it," said Aurico. "It does not appear to be very heavy, anyway." 

"There is a hatch in the back of the aquacraft," Tideus said. "We can put it in there. At least then we will not have to look at it." 

There was reluctant agreement. Aurico wandered off, and returned minutes later dragging the limp remains of the _se'kanan._ It was so thin and decrepit that from a distance, it looked more like Aurico was dragging a pile of wet seaweed than a body. Cestria tried not to take the closer look that would have shown her otherwise. Even after the thing was safely sealed inside the hatch, no one felt very comfortable. There was no conversation on the trip back. 

**

END PART ONE

**


	2. Legend of the Five Lights

**Legend of the Five Lights**

**By: SilvorMoon**

Connected to the Halls of Knowledge were dozens of laboratories, rooms used for researching everything above and below the waves. Students of the sciences who had sufficiently advanced in their classes were called in as laboratory assistants, and they kept busy at all hours of the day, fetching records or monitoring experiments for their supervisors. One such student was on hand when the _se'kanan_ arrived. 

"Have you seen what the students brought in?" he asked. 

"Not yet," said Dr. Liwe. She was among the head scientists at the university, one of the few females to have progressed so far. "Did they find anything interesting?" 

"Interesting! They brought in a monster!" the junior scientist said. "Just come look." 

Intrigued, Dr. Liwe followed the younger scientist into another room. Lying in a glass case were the remains of the _se'kanan_, stretched out on the table beneath a glass dome, as if it were being incubated. Other than the blood around its mouth and the dent in its side, it looked almost as if it were just sleeping instead of dead. The doctor stared. 

"Where did _that_ come from?" she asked. 

"A few of the students found it lying on a beach," the assistant answered. "We have already given it a preliminary examination. We think it died of heart failure, but its ribs are badly broken, and they damaged its lungs seriously." 

"Hmm." Dr. Liwe examined the corpse more closely. "This is not Aquitian. What is it?" 

"We have no clear idea," said the assistant. He chuckled nervously. "The young man who brought it here insisted that it is a _se'kanan._" 

"You do not believe in _se'kanan_?" asked Dr. Liwe, tilting her head quizzically. 

"Well, of course!" said the assistant. "It is just a legend... is it not?" 

"You are not behaving like a good scientist," Dr. Liwe accused. "Believe what you see, not what you think! Trust nothing more than what you see before you. Now, what do you see?" 

"I see... _se'kanan,_" the assistant admitted sheepishly. 

"Good. And what do you divine from this?" 

"That something very odd is going on," the assistant said. 

"Dr. Liwe!" one of the other junior scientists called. "Come look at this!" 

"Pardon me a moment," said the doctor, stepping out of the examination room. 

She wandered into another room where her various assistants and co-workers were hovering over pieces of machinery and taking notes on the readouts. One of the youngest additions to the staff was leaning over a seismic monitor with a worried expression. Dr. Liwe frowned. The machine seldom gave off abnormal readings, which was exactly why the most inexperienced workers were assigned to it. Watching it taught them to pay attention to minor changes and not to give in to daydreaming, though it didn't usually hurt if they had a momentary lapse. Today, though, the tiny and harmless variations in the earth were rising steadily, leaving a jaggedly rising slope making its way across the screen. A few of the other scientists had already gathered around to watch the spectacle. 

"What is it?" asked the student. 

Dr. Liwe stared at the screen. "I really do not know. This is very abnormal." 

"Is it dangerous?" 

"It could be. We need to look into this more closely," one of the other scientists replied. "We do not usually experience earthquakes here. If the city were to be hit by a serious tremor, it could crack the outer domes and flood the city." 

"In that case," said Dr. Liwe, "I do not believe we have the luxury of watching and waiting. We need to get do something now. We need everyone available to start trying to find out what is coming, when it will get here, and what it will do when it comes." 

"What if this just dies down on its own?" wondered a researcher. 

"Then our problem is solved," Dr. Liwe replied, "but we do not know that is going to happen. Get everyone who is qualified to use seismic indicators out trying to pinpoint the source of this disturbance, and send everyone else to start watching for cracks in the pods." 

"We start at once," said the other scientist. "You there! Yes, you. Start spreading the word around. You heard Dr. Liwe - we need everyone we can get." 

"Yes, sir," said Cestro, and he hurried out the door. 

~*~

Cestria's jaw dropped in amazement, and she let the door handle slip through her fingers to swing silently shut behind her. She took a few hesitant steps forward and turned in a small circle, tilting her head back to let her gaze sweep across the polished floor, the glittering displays, up the finely decorated walls to the ceiling that hung above her like the splendors of heaven. Leaning calmly in the doorway, Delphine watched her with an amused smile. 

"Impressed?" she asked. 

"Are you sure I'm allowed in here?" Cestria replied. "Do I need a - a permit or something?" 

Delphine was surprised into a laugh. "Of course not! This is just a store, after all. They want as many customers in here as they can get. Just watch your language - they'll snub you if you think you can't afford anything." 

"But I can't!" protested Cestria. 

"_Cannot,_" Delphine corrected firmly. "And you can, since I am paying for this little excursion." 

Delphine had known all along that her new friend had never had the chance to spend much time in the city, but it had only recently crossed her mind that she had probably never been on a real shopping trip. Sojourns to the marketplace for tools and clothing, yes, but visits to fine outlets like this had been the stuff of dreams. Further inquiries had yielded the information that she had never owned a good dress, never had real jewelry, and had never learned to put on makeup. Delphine had decided it was high time this poor girl got a taste of high society. Seeing the wonder on Cestria's face was more than worth the price of a few trinkets. 

"I couldn't ask you to do that," Cestria began. "I'd be happy just to look at all this. It's like the wonder-tales we tell the children back home." 

"I assure you, you will find no spirits or captive princesses here," Delphine replied. "But I did not bring you here just to stand at the front door and stare. Come and have a closer look. Let me show you around." 

With her wide-eyed companion in tow, Delphine had helped her try on dresses and choose colors that flattered her, and they took turns posing like fashion models in front of a full-length mirror. Then they had admired (or openly gawped at) the trays of jewels, leaving burdened with a few glittering stones hanging from their necks and wrists. Their final stop had been in front of two smaller mirrors at brightly lit tables, where two trained professionals applied their flattering substances. By the end of the afternoon, Cestria was positively glowing, as much from excitement as from the actual makeover. 

Meanwhile, their male counterparts were not having nearly such a good time. Cestro had left the laboratory as fast as he could travel, searching for his companions. He found them back in the courtyard. Tideus and Aurico were sparring, trying to work off some of the uneasiness left by their encounter with the _se'kannan_, while Corcus sat nearby with a pad of heavy paper in his lap. For once, his hands were still as he sucked thoughtfully on the end of a paintbrush and stared out into space. Then Cestro flung the door open, and the resulting crash gave the young artist a start. He jumped, tipping over a bottle of ink and sending a black stain across the cobblestone path. 

"Look what you did!" Corcus wailed. "A whole bottle wasted! Do you know how expensive that ink is?" 

"No, and I don't particularly care right now," Cestro replied. "We have bigger problems. We need to get into town _now._" 

"What's the big rush?" asked Tideus. "Are we being invaded?" 

"We might be," Corcus replied. "The people at the laboratory have picked up some abnormal seismic readings. We could be headed for an earthquake, or something just as bad. Crews are being sent out across the city to search for the source of the tremors and check for cracks in the pod walls. We need everyone we can get." 

"Strange timing," Aurico commented. "First the _se'kannan_, and now this. Do you think there is a connection?" 

"Maybe," Tideus replied. "The original _se'kannan_ were said to live at the bottom of an extremely deep ocean. They might have felt the tremors first and headed for higher ground." 

"And that one died fleeing to safety? It is possible," Cestro admitted. "But that doesn't change the fact that we are in danger. We should leave. I have the equipment ready." 

"What about Delphine? And Cestria?" asked Aurico. There was a tiny pause between the questions, as if the last had nearly been an afterthought. "They went out shopping. They have no idea there might be danger approaching." 

"We will have to warn them," said Corcus decidedly. "Someone will have to find them." 

"We can look for them while we look for the tremors," Cestro replied. "If they are in the shopping district, they will be close enough to where we are going anyway. We should be able to look for them and the quakes at the same time." 

"Fair enough," said Aurico. "Let's get moving." 

~*~

In the city, the people were beginning to become aware of a faint unsettlement. They could see it before they could feel it, tiny tremors magnified by the trembling of hanging lights, the gradual tilting of pictures, the ripples across undisturbed glasses and pools of liquid. Then they began to feel it. It started as a low pulse, but as it grew into a steady thumping, the people began to realize that whatever beat they were hearing was just one of many, like an outrider before a stampede. Finally, they began to be able to hear the rumbling, pounding approach... and they began to be afraid. 

By that point, Cestro, Corcus, Tideus, and Aurico were already downtown, making a hurried search. Cestro was busy with his machine, frowning at the pulses of light it gave off as it tried to warn him of the approaching danger. He couldn't quite fathom what it was telling him, but he was positive that the news was not good. 

"I don't like this," he said aloud. 

"To what are you referring to when you say 'this'?" asked Tideus. 

"These readings," Cestro treplied. "I am not getting readings for just one tremor, but for many. There are little quakes all over the city!" 

"And what do you deduce from this?" 

Cestro shrugged. "Nothing. I can think of no natural explanation for such a thing." 

"Then think of an unnatural one," Tideus suggested. "Or if you cannot do that, let me think of one for you." 

"And that would be...?" 

"A big shaking made by little shakings popping up one by one," said Tideus, "sounds a great deal to me like something is digging to us, coming up from underground. I think I was right - we _are_ being invaded." 

"I find that highly improbable," said Cestro. "You have no proof that-" 

Before he could finish his explanation, Aurico and Corcus appeared, panting from a long run. 

"No sign of the girls," Aurico reported. 

"We looked all over the place," Corcus agreed. "They seem to have evaporated." 

"Nonsense. They have to be here somewhere," said Cestro. "Is there anywhere you might have overlooked?" 

"Well... we didn't go into the limited stores," said Corcus hesitantly. "We didn't think they would have gone in there. They charge more for one pair of shoes than most of us will spend in a year." 

"But Lady Delphinia could afford them," Tideus pointed out, "and she probably visits them regularly. You should have thought of that." 

"Oops," said Corcus, blushing a little. "I guess I forgot. I'm so used to thinking of her as one of us." 

"That should not make any difference," said Cestro sternly. "Go back there and look for them, before-" 

The machine in his hand let out a shriek of warning, just before a hole in the ground opened up with a roar, throwing up clouds of rubble and dust. Out of the crater climbed something silvery, and everyone stopped what they were doing to stare. 

"Too late," said Aurico. 

The creature sized the little group up. It did not look impressed, and it was justified in thinking so. It looked like a throwback to some earlier part of Aquitian evolution had mated with a shark, and then further crossed that offspring with a collection of knives. The thing was at least a foot taller and several inches broader than the boys and was covered completely in smooth, silver skin that rippled over its chest like plate-armor. Its arms, legs, back, and shoulders were edged with shining fins that glinted like razors, and its hands and feet were tipped with claws. Its mouth was filled to overflowing with jagged white teeth that thrust between its lips, holding them forever in a nightmarish grin. It turned cold green eyes to ogle the youths it had found, as if wondering which one might taste the best, and drool began oozing through its teeth. 

"What in the...?" Corcus asked, staring. 

"Get out of here!" Aurico commanded, giving him a shove. "Go find the girls! Get them somewhere safe! I'll handle this!" 

"Aurico!" Tideus protested. "Aurico, you idiot, get back here!" 

Aurico wasn't listening. He charged at the shark-thing and kicked at its relatively unprotected belly, and it gurgled and staggered back a bit. It lashed at him with one of his claws, but he dodged easily and struck back. Apparently, for all its size and show of strength, it didn't have the quickness and coordination of a trained martial artist. 

"I think he can handle that," said Cestro. "You help Corcus. I will look after Aurico." 

Tideus gave him a concerned look. "Can you fight?" 

"Not really," Cestro admitted, "but apparently, neither can that thing." 

Tideus shrugged and ran off after Corcus. They dashed up the street and through the doors of the most pretentious of the shops. A well-dressed man behind a counter turned away from his customer to give the boys the kind of look he might have reserved for the occasion of stepping barefoot on a dead octopus. 

"What are you young hooligans doing here?" he demanded coldly. 

"We are looking for two young ladies," Corcus replied. "We thought they might have been shopping here. It is very important that we find them." He gave a hurried description of Delphine and Cestria. 

The man still looked skeptical, but he answered, "Yes, I believe they were seen here. They went into one of the other departments. Find them if you must, but kindly do not take too long. Your presence disrupts the atmosphere." 

"Friend, if you want to see something disrupting, you ought to look outside," Tideus muttered. 

"What was that?" asked the man. 

"Nothing that would interest you," answered Tideus brightly. "Corcus, you look that way. I'll look over here." 

Tideus hurried away from the salesman, who looked entirely outraged at the boy's nonchalant manner. Out of the corner of his eye, he saw Corcus scoot through an arched door and vanish behind a display of evening gowns, and then he was lost among the eye-dazzling displays of jewelry. For a moment, he wasn't sure he would be able to see much of anything in the glitzy mess, but then he spied a darker passageway off to one side, and he hurried toward it with relief. Then he skidded to a stop and stared. 

"Corcus!" he called. "Over here! I've found them! And all ready for the occasion, too - they're dressed to kill." 

"Beg pardon?" asked Delphine, giving her friend a quizzical look. 

"Well, ladies, we seem to have developed a small problem," Tideus replied. "The city is under attack. Just wait until you see the thing! It will make you wish a few of those slimy creatures were all we had to deal with." 

"Thing? What kind of thing?" Cestria asked. 

"Tideus!" Corcus called. "Tideus, where are..." He rounded the corner and stopped short as he caught sight of Delphine and Cestria. "Oh, my." 

Tideus smiled with faint amusement and put his hand over his friend's eyes. 

"Gawp later, aesthete," he said. "Would it be too much to ask for you two to change? Those garments are not precisely suited to fight or flight, and we may have to do some of both before the day is out." 

Cestria sighed and ran a wistful hand over the material of her dress, wishing she could have kept on that sapphire blue silk gown just a little longer, but Delphine took her firmly by the hand and dragged her off. Tideus released his hold on Corcus. 

"You could have let me look," said Corcus, glaring at his friend. 

"You are too easily distracted," Tideus replied. "So is Aurico, for that matter. He would be annoyed if I let you have all the fun." 

"I hope they hurry back," answered Corus. "Aurico is going to need some help, if there are any more of those creatures out there." 

"There must be. Cestro's machine was picking them up all over the city," Tideus replied. "We can only hope we avoid most... of... them..." 

He let his sentence trail off as an ominous rumbling noise made itself known. The crystal chandeliers jangled a warning, and then the beautifully tiled floor exploded, sending chips of marble flying in all directions, ricocheting off the walls and demolishing glass display cases. Tideus and Corcus dove for cover behind a vitrine on a stone pedestal. Out of the newly created crater, a shark-creature stepped out to review its surroundings. 

"Excellent!" it laughed. Its voice hissed sibilantly through its teeth. "I think I've found the jackpot!" 

The two boys looked at each other in alarm. Unlike the first monster, this one was somewhat better proportioned than the other, moving less awkwardly, and its skin was more green than silver. It even wore clothing of sorts, crude armor over its torso. Its eyes were not fish eyes, but something more reminiscent of a human's. 

"I think this might be more difficult than we first anticipated," Corcus murmured. 

The fish swivelled its ungainly head, sniffing the air with twitching round nostrils. 

"I smell blood," it hissed. "Come out, Aquitians! You can't hide from a Razorfin!" 

"All right, then, we won't," said Tideus, stepping into view. "You know, it is terribly bad manners to come crashing in uninvited like that. This is a high-class establishment." 

"Not anymore," said the Razorfin. "Our ruler has given us orders to destroy every building, loot every store, and to kill or capture any Aquitians we find. We haven't had warm blood in eons, and we're hungry!" 

"Chew on this, then," Tideus retorted, and he lunged at the monster. 

The Razorfin had apparently not been expecting any counter-attacks. It only stood in surprise as the Aquitain attacked it, and they both fell to the floor in a tangle. Unfortunately, that was as far as Tideus's luck went. He was a good deal lighter than the Razorfin, so there was no hope of keeping it pinned down. The creature kicked him off and sent him sailing into a display case, letting him fall to the floor amidst a rain of shattered glass. Tideus gathered his wits just in time to avoid the Razorfin's snapping teeth and scooted across the smooth floor to a safer location. There ensued a life-or-death game of hide-and-seek. 

Corcus watched the encounter with dismay. It seemed to be all Tideus could do to occasionally land a blow on his opponent, but nothing he did seemed to do more than bruise it. On the other hand, Tideus would soon run out of hiding places, and then he would be left vulnerable to the Razorfin's claws and jaws. 

"This will never do," said Corcus, and he began crawling silently and stealthily to one of the broken displays. His hand went up to pull a large and incredibly expensive diamond necklace from its velvet covered resting place. Nobody noticed. 

What they did notice a few seconds later was a whistling noise, the sound of something being twirled at high speeds. The Razorfin turned to see Corcus whirling something shiny on the end of a chain, and then let it go with remarkable precision. Several dozen carats of sharp- cornered stone smacked the monster's forehead, sinking in with a wet thunk before striking the skull and bouncing off. Black blood began to pour down the creature's face, getting in its eyes making it wail in agony. 

"I am _impressed,_" said Tideus, scrambling to get away from the flailing Razorfin. 

Just then, the stern man who had spoken with them earlier decided to come in and see what all the noise was about. 

"What is all this ruckus?" he demanded. "This is not appropriate for a respectable establishment! I demand that you cease all this..." 

He trailed off as he entered the room. The first thing he took in was the general destruction of the displays, the gaping hole in the floor, and the broken glass, wood, and stone that littered the floor. Then he saw the Razorfin, still roaring and swiping ineffectually at the air and stumbling over the debris. At last, he spied the boys, who were trying to vanish behind a cabinet, and unleashed his fury. 

"How dare you!" he bellowed. "How dare you allow this - this - _thing_ into our building? Do not try to tell me you had nothing to do with it, either!" 

"But we didn't!" Corcus protested. 

"Look out!" shouted Tideus. 

The next minute, the man found himself sliding across the floor, propelled by the force of Tideus's flying tackle. Standing where they had been a split-second before was the Razorfin, squinting at them through its stinging eyes. Its face was raked with black gouges where it had tried to wipe its own blood off of its face, and it was half-blind and wild with pain. 

"You will not do this to me!" it roared. "Prepare to feel the wrath of our king!" 

"I'd rather not," Corcus replied. "Where are those girls? Why aren't they here?" 

"Worry about them later!" shouted Tideus. He helped the salesman to his feet and gave him a shove. "Get out of here! Find somewhere to hide!" 

The man didn't hesitate. He took a few dazed, staggering steps, found his balance, and took off in mortal terror. 

"Run if you want!" the Razorfin shouted after him. "You will die soon enough! Do you hear me! Die, die, die!" 

"Shove it up your blowhole, fishbait," a voice retorted. 

Everyone spun in place to see who had spoken. Standing quite calmly in front of one of the few pieces of furniture in the room that remained more or less intact - a huge wooden cabinet filled with statuary - was a long-haired schoolgirl. She leveled the Razorfin one of her best I'm- better-than-you-and-I-know-it looks, not even flinching when it roared its hatred at her. It raised both clawed hands and leaped. 

She never once looked worried. Instead, she stepped calmly aside and let the thing drive its claws into the thick wood. Naturally, it was not happy with finding itself stuck, but it knew it was strong enough to pull itself free. It gave a powerful pull, and the cabinet tilted just a tiny bit... 

It didn't see Cestria standing behind the cabinet. It didn't notice her pushing the heavy piece of furniture, either. What it did notice was that, instead of releasing its hold on its claws, the great display case began to topple over, and the Razorfin was still stuck fast. The case hit the floor with a mighty crash, crushing the creature beneath it. 

"Well done, Cestria," said Delphine. 

"Thank you. You did beautifully yourself," answered Cestria. "Thank you both ever so much for holding the thing until we were finished changing. It would have been a trifle awkward fighting in high heels." 

Tideus stared at Cestria in disbelief for a moment, until he realized she was teasing him, and he laughed. Corcus stared at all of them as if they were crazy, and then glanced back at what remained of the Razorfin. 

"Is it dead?" he asked. 

"I hope so," Tideus replied. "If it is not, we still do not have the time to find out. We have to get back to Aurico and Cestro." 

"I hope they had an easier time with their monster than we did with ours," Corcus said. "What in the oceans was it?" 

"_Kinus-paric,_" said Delphine. "Another legend. The words mean, 'knife-fin.'" 

"That's what it said it was," Tideus replied thoughtfully. "It called itself a Razorfin." 

"I suppose that would be as good a translation as any," Delphine answered with a shrug. 

"Um, may I interrupt?" asked Cestria. "It doesn't really sound like we have time to talk about ancient languages." 

"Right as usual," Tideus agreed. "Come on, this way." 

They hurried for the door. As they made their way out, Corcus said shyly to Delphine, "You looked very pretty in your dress." 

Delphine turned and stared at him in faint surprise. 

"Thank you," she said. "It is kind of you to say so." 

Before the conversation could be continued, she turned and hurried outside. 

They ran through the streets as fast as they could manage. The task wasn't as easy as it could have been, owing to the dismaying number of holes in the earth. They could hear the screams and roars that meant the Razorfins were busy in other parts of the city, but there were also the sounds of the fizz-humming that was characteristic of lasers being fired - the people were fighting back. Still, the battle was not an easy one. By the time, they found Cestro and Aurico, both of them looked exhausted, and Aurico bore one or two slashes from where he had come too close to the Razorfin's claws. 

"What happened?" asked Tideus. "Is everyone all right?" 

"A little winded," Aurico admitted. "Not as bad off as the monster, whatever it was. We finally found a broken piece of pavement and knocked the brute unconscious. What about you all? Anyone hurt?" 

"A little bruised, but I think I will survive," Tideus answered. "But what are we going to do about these monsters? The city isn't ready for an attack like this. If they keep up this tunneling, the whole city could collapse!" 

"I think that is exactly what they are planning," said Corcus. "You heard the thing talk. They mean to take all they can, kill as many as they please, capture the rest of us, and then cave the pod-cluster in on itself." 

"Is there any way to stop it?" asked Delphine. 

"None that I can think of," answered Cestro regretfully. 

There was a thoughtful pause. Then Cestria said, "I guess this would qualify as an emergency, wouldn't it?" 

"Yes," said Aurico, looking a bit puzzled. "Why do you ask?" 

"Well, if it's really a real emergency," she replied, "maybe we ought to be using these?" 

Reaching into her purse, she took out the white shell. It still glimmered faintly with its own light. 

"Ninjor's shells! Of course!" Delphine exclaimed. "He saved our world once. He would know how to handle this if anyone would. Has everyone still got theirs?" 

One by one, everybody took out their white shells and held them out for the others to see. The lights seemed to intensify as they were reunited with each other. However, there didn't seem to be any other real change. Delphine stared at them for a moment, and then, drawing herself up as if she were issuing orders to a servant, commanded, "Take us to Ninjor!" 

The shells flashed brilliantly, and then everything was lost in light. 

~*~

They landed in darkness and looked around, shaken by the abruptness of the journey and the unfamiliar way of traveling. Their eyes were drawn to the one point of light in the room, the blue dome on the altar. By its shimmering light, the whole building seemed to have been submerged in deep water, so that even sunlight seemed blue and shivery. 

"Well, here we are," said Delphine, drawing on her royal unflappability to help her sound casual. "It seems our friend's interesting mode of transportation is quite effective." 

"It doesn't look like he's home, though," Cestria replied. "Wouldn't you know? He shows up when we don't want him and hides when we do." 

"That," said Ninjor's voice from some indistinct place, "is a gross exaggeration." 

"Who said that?" asked Aurico, instantly tense. "Come out and show yourself, whoever you are!" 

"Come out and show myself, he says. Who does he think he is, ordering me around like that?" Ninjor muttered. "All right, stand back! Let's get this show on the road!" 

From somewhere within the temple, there came a deep grinding noise, the sound of ancient gears and mechanisms stirring after long disuse. Aurico and Delphine managed to jump out of the way just in time to avoid falling down a shaft that irised open in the middle of the starburst on the floor. A beam of light shot out of it, filling the room with blue radiance, and out of that light rose the sage Ninjor. Everyone stared... which was exactly what he wanted. 

"Impressed?" he said. 

There was a moment of silence. Then, Corcus spoke. 

"Would you mind doing that again sometime," he asked, "when I have my pastels handy?" 

"Later," said Ninjor, waving the question aside. "What are you all doing here? It had better be good; my favorite show was on." 

"Show?" repeated Aurico, puzzled. 

"_Mighty Morphin Power Rangers_," Ninjor answered. "It's amazing what you can pick up with a few trans-dimensional spells and a good cable receptor." 

Aurico looked at Delphine. "Are you quite sure this is the legendary sage we are looking for?" 

Delphine took note of Ninjor's annoyance at the question and decided not to incur any more anger by answering it. She turned to the warrior-mage and began to explain why they had come. 

"It is very important that you help," she said. "Our entire colony could be falling apart as we speak. Thousands of people may die if the Razorfins are not driven off soon." 

"Razorfins. I remember them," said Ninjor thoughtfully. "Nasty creatures. I had thought they were all wiped out ages ago. I suppose he could have made new ones, though..." 

"He, who?" asked Tideus. 

"The Master of the Black Waters," answered Ninjor ominously. "Come! I've decided to help you out. Step right this way, and I'll show you something interesting." 

With that, he turned and dropped down the shaft again. The surprised onlookers gathered around, trying to stare into the heart of the brightness to see where he had gone. Then they all jumped backwards again in surprise as his head popped out of the hole again, making him look oddly like a blue gopher. 

"What are you waiting for?" he said. "Come on in. No time to waste, you know." 

He vanished again. With wary looks and resigned shrugs, the others followed after him. 

As they dropped into the light, there was a brief feeling of unsettlement, akin to what they had felt as they teleported. It was like dropping out of existence for a moment, like falling asleep for a heartbeat, like a dizzy spell that came and went before they could react. Then they were all standing on solid ground again and looking around in amazement. Ninjor faced them, hands spread wide in a gesture of welcome. Everyone stared. 

The group was now standing in a great, cathedral-like room built of some shimmering material that flashed white and blue like sunlight on the ocean. It looped and whirled in towering arcs and columns, as if waves and whirlpools could be frozen in place, and there were smaller alcoves like seashells against the walls. On the floor was a copy of the mosaic from the temple above, now clearly discernable as a five pointed star with the rays tiled in pastel colors. 

"This is fair beautiful," Cestria said softly. "Prettier than the shop, even." 

"Congratulations," he said. "You are the first people, of this world or any other, to have seen this place since it was abandoned a thousand years ago. This was the secret meeting place of the Rangers of Aquitar." 

"Rangers?" Aurico repeated. 

"Power Rangers," said Ninjor, as if he were making a clarification that would explain everything. "Settle down and I'll tell you all about it." 

"Settle down?" Tideus repeated. "Our home is in danger. We have no time to listen to explanations." 

"You would rather barge out into battle without knowing what you're up against?" Ninjor retorted. 

"That is a point," said Cestro. "If we have little time, we certainly cannot waste it on mistakes." 

"Sensible," said Delphine. "Very well, wise one, give us your explanation." 

If Ninjor was affronted by the sarcasm, his mask hid it. He waved at one of the alcoves, which held a round table and a long, curved bench. 

"Have a seat," he said. "Let me tell you about a chapter of your history that your teachers don't remember." He waited for them to do as they were told, and went to stand at the head of the table, giving them little choice but to listen and pay attention. Clearing his throat significantly, he began to tell a story. 

"I suppose you know something about the legends of the Taker and the Five Lights," he began. "It is a true story, but your people have forgotten over the years that it actually happened. They said it was too wonderful to be real, and it turned into a fairy-tale. Now, as you have discovered, it is coming back to life. The Taker is real. He is actually called the Hydro Hog - not very dramatic, maybe, but it's accurate. He's a mutant, a distant relative of your own race that has been warped into a monster. You and all your people have the power to draw energy from the water. He takes the process a step further, actually absorbing the water from anything he comes in contact with, taking the power along with it. If he gets his hands on one of your kind, it will all but kill them. He used to keep Aquitian people as slaves so he could draw off their energy whenever he felt like it. Many of them died. The ones who lived were weakened by having their life-force sucked from them over and over again. Those were the first _se'kannan._" 

The Aquitains shuddered at the thought. 

"So that... that thing we pulled up used to be one of us?" asked Corcus, horrified. 

"Not likely. Not directly, anyway. Nothing more than a descendant many times over," Ninjor replied. 

Corcus didn't look comforted. 

"Yuck," he muttered. 

"What of the Razorfins?" asked Aurico. "Where did they come from? I hope they are no kin of ours, too." 

Ninjor seemed to consider. "To tell you the truth, I couldn't tell you much about the Razorfins. He was still working on perfecting them last time I saw the Hydro Hog. I'd assume they're his created creatures. As far as I know, he can only _steal_ power from a natural creature, not give it to one. They must have been made by magic." 

"Good. Then we don't have to feel sorry about killing one," said Cestria. "That thing was nasty." 

"Mages and monsters," Delphine said to herself. "This could be more difficult than we first thought. We managed against the Razorfins, but what can we do against magic?" 

"That's where I come in," said Ninjor. "I'm going to help you all out. Don't you remember the legend? I seem to recall it saying something about a mage calling forth five lights to drive off the darkness. A thousand years ago, I recruited five young Aquitains, much like you all, and gave them special powers that let them fight off the Hydro Hog and his minions and banish them all to the darkest ocean in Aquitar. Unfortunately, that magic seems to have worn thin over the centuries, and he's starting to prod at the barrier, looking for cracks. Sooner or later, he's going to find his way out... unless someone stops him. Or five someones." He gave the group a very pointed look. 

"Let me guess," said Aurico. "Rangers?" 

"Power Rangers," Ninjor agreed. "Five warriors with magical powers and super weapons, specially equipped to face the forces of evil." 

"Six," said Delphine. 

"What?" Ninjor looked puzzled. 

"There are six of us," Delphine repeated. "You keep saying five." 

"There only are five," said Ninjor, rather unclearly. "I mean, the powers are already made. I can't just go and throw in another one. And the weapons - there's only enough for five people. I don't know if-" 

"If you didn't have supplies for six, you should not have called six people here," said Tideus. 

Ninjor looked a bit sheepish. "Sorry. I tried. I thought I could manage just one more, but it just didn't work out. Five is a stable number, but sixth Rangers are tricky. They can be very powerful, or they can fall to pieces at the first sign of trouble. I tried to set one up, but I couldn't come up with anything stable to link it to, and it kept falling apart." 

"So," said Aurico thoughtfully, "one of us is going to have to opt out. Who will it be?" 

"Me," Cestria answered automatically. 

"No!" said Corcus. "Cestria, you deserve to be a hero as much as anyone." 

"No I don't," she replied. "I'm not a fighter like Aurico and Tideus, or a leader like Delphine or smart like Cestro. I'm just a plain, ordinary, backwater girl." 

"Do I look like a fighter to you?" asked Corcus. "You sell yourself short. You're as good as any of us." 

"Let the girl have her choice," Ninjor scolded gently. He turned his unreadable gaze to her, sizing her up. "Young lady, you're a healer, aren't you?" 

"Yes," she said, surprised. "How did you know?" 

"I can see auras, sometimes. It's something mages do," he answered. "I think you're right in saying you're not a warrior. Your nature is to nurture. You'd never be able to live with taking so many lives. Besides, your friends will be hurt from time to time in this war, and someone is going to have to be nearby to take care of them. You'll serve the cause of Good best if you stay on the sidelines." 

Cestria nodded, knowing he was right. She was actually a little surprised at him speaking to her. There was a lot of kindness behind his words, and it occurred to her that when he wasn't posing and acting wise and powerful, Ninjor was actually rather nice. 

"All right. Are we settled now?" Tideus wanted to know. "If we are, I think there are a few Razorfins back home who want our attention." 

"Right," said Ninjor, all business once again. "Delphine, Aurico, Tideus, Corcus, Cestro, step out onto the star, each of you on a point. We're going to revive a legend." 

They did as they were told. The star covered an area almost ten feet in diameter, leaving them plenty of room to stand comfortably, even when Ninjor stepped into the ring. Just as he reached the exact center, the star lit up, bathing them all in a pure blue-white light, bright but somehow not dazzling. Ninjor faced them one by one and spoke to them. 

"Aurico, you will be the Red Ranger," he intoned. "You will carry with you the power of fire. Let it bring you courage." 

The shaft of light he stood in suddenly turned crimson. Then it wasn't light anymore, but something solid that wrapped around him and dressed him in sleek red armor and a helmet similar to Ninjor's. A sword appeared, slung over his back in ninja style. A faint aura of red light continued to surround him, even as Ninjor turned to the next person. 

"Tideus, you will be the Yellow Ranger. Yours will be the energy of wind. Let it make you swift and sure." 

Saffron radiance gathered around him, and then a second armored warrior appeared in a second shaft of colored light. Red and yellow blended together, making a faint streak of orange between them. 

"Cestro," Ninjor called, facing his next attentive listener, "you will be the Blue Ranger. The reflectivity of water is yours. Its wisdom will serve you well." 

Another color added itself to the spectrum. Something else seemed to be happening, too. When they had begun, the room had been full of blue light, but now it was becoming darker, until all Cestria could see was the circle of light with her friends inside. The mage was almost invisible within the curtain of luminance. 

"Corcus, you will be the Black Ranger," Ninjor continued. "You have the solidity of earth. In battle, you will share its strength." 

A fourth shaft of light appeared, adding indigo and violet to the color wheel... only it wasn't a wheel yet. There was still one space that was flickering and uncertain, the place where Delphine stood. Ninjor turned to her. 

"Delphine, noble lady, I know your courage and strength of will," he said. There was a faint tint of laughter behind the serious words, as he remembered their first meeting. "Therefore, I name you the White Ranger, leader of the team. You will combine force and wisdom, power and intellect, in the greatest force of nature, Light!" 

On that final word, the colors merged together to form a single concentrated ray, at once pure white and shimmering with every color of the rainbow. The single onlooker found she could not look into that brightness, and she cringed away. In the next moment, it was all over, and everything had gone back to normal. Cestria blinked, trying to readjust her eyes to the flickering light of the blue room. Nothing seemed to have changed - nothing but her friends, who were still dressed in their armor, shimmering faintly in colored afterglows. 

"That," said Tideus, "was impressive." 

"No time to stand around admiring yourselves," Ninjor said. "You're in a hurry, remember?" 

"I remember," said Aurico, unsheathing his new sword to check the blade. "Somehow, I do not think the Razorfins are going to like seeing this." 

"They aren't," Ninjor assured him. "A few more things before you go, though. One, you have the ability to teleport, now. You can be wherever you want to be just by willing it hard enough. That takes power, though, so don't use it unless you need it. Two, you have weapons that I haven't shown you yet. The knowledge of what they are and how to use them was transmitted to you psychically during the transformation, so you'll be able to call them when the time is right. Three, if you ever need my help, just call my name or think it clearly, and I'll come. Understand?" 

The five new Rangers made nods and gestures of agreement. Delphine drew her sword and let it shimmer in the room's shifting light. 

"Come, friends," she said calmly. "We go and fight." 

The lights appeared again, whisking them away in clouds of multicolored sparkles. Cestria watched in amazement. 

"Are they really going to be able to fight monsters?" she asked, trying to imagine gentle Corcus swinging a sword. 

Ninjor gestured at a round, smooth stone on the wall, and it suddenly lit with an image of the city, swarming with Razorfins. 

"Let's watch and find out," he said. 

~*~

Amid the wreckage of what had once been a small building, a group of frightened Aquitians were huddled on the ground, guarded by a cold-eyed Razorfin. Several more of the creatures were milling around, looking for loot or rounding up more captives. The silver Razorfins were doing most of the treasure-hunting, overseen by a few of the green ones, who didn't trust their lesser-developed cousins not to eat anything they found. Two more green monsters were going through a heap of objects, belongings taken from the purses and pockets of their captives, in search of valuables. The guard, however, was neither silver nor green. He was a shimmery blue-purple color. Out of all of them, he was the one who looked closest to a true Aquitian, and he was the only one to wear full armor and carry a sword. The smallest children cowered away from him in fright. They feared the snapping, drooling silver fish, but that was only the natural fear they would have felt around a dangerous animal. This creature wasn't just naturally bloodthirsty; he was fully aware of evil and consciously embraced it. 

"That's right, be afraid, little morsels," he rumbled, flashing his teeth in a hideous grin. "General Coldtooth has you now, and you won't leave him except in chains or in the belly of one of his comrades. Think about that, infants. That'll give you something to cry about." 

A green Razorfin stepped up and attempted a salute, careful not to cut his face with his own claws as he did so. 

"Lieutenant Sandslime reporting, Gen'ral," it growled. "Me mates have almost finished with yonder eastern side. Thinks ye we ought to go 'head with the digging?" 

"Get on with it," said the general. "We can break this pod without damaging the others much. Plenty of time to see to them." 

"Yessir, Gen'ral sir," the lieutenant replied, and it hustled off to gather its friends. The general watched him go with a chuckle. 

"Did you all hear that, my little guppies?" he inquired of his captives. "We're going to take your city apart. We're going to dig it out from underneath and let the ocean crack it like an otter breaks a clam. Pretty soon you'll have no home left but our master's dungeons." 

"What do you want with us?" demanded a frightened woman. "Let us go, you brute! We never did anything to you!" 

"Never did anything? That's fine, that is," said General Coldtooth. "If you call locking our master up at the bottom of the blackest ocean with next to nothing for him to feed on _fine_, I guess you'd be right." 

"We did no such thing!" said a man in the crowd. "We never heard of your master until now!" 

"Maybe so," Coldtooth replied, "but it was five of you stinking Aquitians who punished him all those years back. Our master has a long memory, and now he's coming to take his revenge. Your heroes may be dead, but their children's children survive among you, and their lives will be the payment." 

A child began to whimper. "I'm scared! I want to go home! I want my mama!" 

"Shut up, brat!" the general snapped. His claws flashed, coming perilously close to the child's eyes. A thin trickle of blood ran down his cheek as he stared, too petrified even to cry. 

"The next word and you're blind," it told him. "You'll serve the master just as well without your sight. And if any one else here wants to argue with General Coldtooth..." He trailed off and flexed his claws meaningfully. 

"I would not mind a good argument," said a strong female voice at his back. 

The general jumped, nearly dropping his sword in surprise. The others looked up, too, staring at the newcomers. Where there had been no one before, there were now five people - five armed people, the general noted, wearing armor and helmets in a style he vaguely remembered seeing somewhere before. He hissed in fury as he recognized him. When his master had told him the story of the ancient war, he had shown his new general images of the five warriors who had defeated them. Now Coldtooth was not happy at all to be meeting them in person. 

"I would let those civilians go, if I were you," said Aurico. "I doubt you would like it if we had to _make_ you release them." 

"No jellyfish-spined Aquitian makes General Coldtooth do anything!" the Razorfin leader snarled. "Forward, troops! Get those interlopers!" 

"Interlopers, indeed! As if this was none of our business," Corcus muttered. 

"Duck!" Tideus shouted at him, and Corcus ducked, narrowly missing the first strike of the nearest silver-fin. The Yellow and Black Rangers tumbled away in opposite directions. 

"You need some survival lessons," Tideus commented. 

Corcus, having recovered his wits, turned his attention to his attacker. Deftly avoiding the flailing claws and fins, he gave the monster a sharp punch in the jaw. It actually rose a few inches into the air before crunching to the pavement. Corcus stared at his fist in surprise. 

"Did I do that?" he wondered. 

"Okay, maybe you don't," said Tideus. 

Cestro sized up a silver-fin as it pranced and gibbered, evidently trying to decide if the Blue Ranger was edible or not. It roared and babbled incomprehensibly. 

"You," said Cestro, "are an underdeveloped and badly designed excuse for a genetic experiment. Your mother should be ashamed." 

The thing didn't look like it understood a word he said, but the insulting tone was enough to send it into a boiling rage. It made an uncoordinated lunge at Cestro, who calmly stepped aside, using its sword to trip the thing as it passed. The silver fish couldn't seem to figure out what to do with its arms in time to stop itself from falling face first on the pavement. 

"Not very clever, are they?" said Aurico, expertly fending off a green-fin as he talked. 

"I think," Tideus replied, jumping over a sweep-kick, "that whoever designed these things put a lot of thought into making them strong, but they have no instinct. Look." He slammed his fist directly into a monster's face, making it wail and clutch at its eye. "See? It never blinked. These really are created creatures - bad ones, too." 

"You can say that again," Corcus agreed. The shy artist was battling two silver-fins at once and apparently enjoying every minute of it. "Why did you never tell me this was so much fun?" 

"Fun it may be," said Delphine, "but I think we should see about getting rid of them before they call in any reinforcements. These creatures could still beat us if they outnumber us." 

"Fine," said Aurico. "See how they like this!" 

He unsheathed his sword and swung it in a powerful arc, aiming for the nearest silver-fin. The sword went through the creature like a hot knife through butter. The Razorfin stared at itself in horror as it turned into white light and disintegrated. 

"They _are_ fake," said Cestro, sounding impressed. "No natural creature would do that." 

"That looked interesting. Let me try," said Tideus. He paused in his defenses for a moment, letting himself be surrounded by four silver-fins. They were surprised to see him suddenly whirl in a tight circle, slashing them all in a single spin. The Yellow Ranger was briefly hidden by a cloud of light as the monster evaporated. 

The green-fins proved a bit more difficult to handle. Badly designed they might have been, but they kept their structural integrity better than their lesser-developed counterparts, owing partly to their armor. They had larger brains, too, and they were smart enough to realize that getting too close to those ancient magical blades would send them the way of their predecessors. They danced out of reach, snarling and shouting insults. Delphine, used to getting her way, insulted them right back with considerably more wit and imagination. Any who lost their temper and charged her ended up as sea-green sparks. Slowly but surly, the number of Razorfins began to deplete. 

"This is a fiasco!" General Coldtooth muttered. He had planned to lose a few of his troops to local resistance, but he hadn't planned on meeting the legendary Five Lights. He glanced uneasily at the piles of treasure, and then at the group of watchful citizens. Seeing the warriors had given them hope and courage; if he tried bullying them, they were liable to attack, and it was possible that they might beat the remaining troops back by sheer numbers and determination. The loot was also a problem; a Razorfin's magical nature allowed it to perform some small magical tasks, but it needed most of its magic to hold itself together. If it tried to use too much power at once, it would literally fall apart, and he couldn't transport anything that weighed more than half what he did. Coldtooth growled his annoyance. Thanks to these warriors and his master's poor planning, he was going to have to abandon the job. 

Aurico looked down in grim satisfaction as the last of the green-fins reverted to energy and dissipated. He turned to face the general. 

"Are you ready to surrender?" he asked. "Or would you rather go down with your troops?" 

"You're the ones who are going down!" Coldtooth replied. "My soldiers have already undermined the city's east side. When it starts to cave in, your protective dome will crack, and this whole pod will go under with you in it. You're just prolonging the inevitable, fighting us like this." 

"And you are being a fool," Delphine replied. "I have only two weeks of school behind me, and I still know more than you about fighting a war. You never give away information, General Coldtooth. You can only fight what you know about." 

"Grr..." Coldtooth snarled. "You think you're clever, don't you, little missy? You won't be so smart once this place starts to go under. So long, whoever you are. It was nice knowing you." 

"We are the Power Rangers," Aurico said. "And we will be meeting again. You can bet your life on it." 

The general's only reply was a snort of contempt. He reached in a pocket and took out a small green sphere, a portable communication spell. 

"All right, troops! This egg's about to crack. Move _out!_" On the final word, he disappeared in a blue-violet shimmer. 

The Rangers were instantly surrounded by thankful townspeople, who expressed relief and thanks and curiosity all at once. Delphine raised her hands to get their attention. 

"We have no time to give you all an explanation," she said. "The city is still in peril! You heard the monster - the domes are in danger of breaking. Somehow, we have to stabilize the foundation." 

"How are we going to do that?" Corcus asked. "Even with these powers, are we going to be able to hold off an ocean?" 

*_Don't be silly,_* said Ninjor's unmistakable voice. The Rangers jumped in unison, looking around until they realized he was speaking directly to their minds. *_I gave you weapons. Use them! Call upon the Battle Borgs, and let them help you._" 

"Battle Borgs?" Aurico muttered, not caring that none of the townspeople knew what he was replying to. "What's a Battle Borg?" 

Instead of getting a verbal reply, the Rangers found their minds filled with images, pictures of machines that were not quite machines. They were warriors like themselves, bound and empowered by the same forces the Rangers used. They were extensions of the Rangers themselves, and when called, they came. In retrospect, the Rangers all agreed that they were glad they had been wearing masks, so that none of the onlookers could see them staring. 

Seeing five giant robots appearing out of the darkness of the sea was startling enough, but it was even more surprising when the Rangers began to realize the machines' true nature. Aquitians shared with many other highly developed life-forms the ability to communicate with some creatures by telepathy. Their talents were usually limited to speaking with lower creatures, predominantly fish, or occasionally one of their own or someone who had developed the psychic link to a greater degree. Mostly, though, they were limited to the simple transferences animals could give them - not words, but pictures, symbols, and feelings. They were amazed to find that these new machines were giving them a similar sensation. Though perhaps not really alive, they did have a limited sort of sentience, and now they were asking their new owners just why they had been wakened from their thousand-year sleep. 

Unflappable Delphine was the first to react. After all, she had been raised to command, and she'd always been taught to accept help from whoever could give it, no matter how strange they might be. She sent them a thought-transference explaining their situation. 

-_Willingness, confusion,_- sent the White Battle Borg. -_Orders?_- 

"What did it say?" asked Tideus. Delphine's Borg was only addressing her, so he and the rest of the group were only getting vague echoes of what was being said. 

"Nothing, really," Delphine replied. "I think they only communicate in feelings. They want to help, but they need to be told what to do." 

-_Agreement,_- the Borgs replied. 

Cestro thought furiously. "The only way we can save the pod is if something repairs the crack in the outer dome... but it will just crack again if the tunnels are not shored up. Can they do that?" 

-_Willingness,_- the Borgs sent again. -_Invitation._- 

"They want you to show them how, I think," said Corcus. "Here, let me try something." 

He closed his eyes and concentrated, showing his symbiote an image of tunnels running under the city, gradually caving in as water seeped through and undermined them. He replaced that image with that of something moving more earth in to fill the holes, and the breakdown stopped. The Black Battle Borg nodded its -_Understanding,_- and abruptly burrowed into the ground. Corcus looked up and nodded. 

"I think he got the message," he said, panting a little. He resolved to practice mind- sending; communicating with machines wasn't easy. "Aurico, Ninjor said fire was your element. Maybe you could see about that crack?" 

Aurico nodded. A thin line of broken glass had slowly snaked its way up the side of the dome. The glass used for building the pods was a special blend that was meant to stand up to far more pressure than more common varieties could, but it was clear it was not going to hold up much longer. Already, a trickle of water was seeping through, slowly rising behind the second protective shield, and if too much pressure built up there... 

The Red Battle Borg sensed his uneasiness and stared with -_Concern_- at the crack. Then it made a movement with one hand, and the tip of one finger began to glow brightly, making the water around it bubble as it turned briefly to steam. 

"A torch?" Cestro asked, sounding faintly worried. "You had better tell your friend to be careful. If he melts the glass too much, things will be worse than they already are." 

Aurico, occupied with maintaining the mental link, nodded without replying and relayed the message. Then he laughed. Cestro tilted his head in puzzlement. 

"That thing's manners were _not_ programmed by an Aqutian," Aurico explained. "Suffice to say, he is a bit annoyed that you have so little faith in him. He knows what to do." 

Cestro opened his mouth to say something, but then shut it again as he watched the robot work. It clearly knew its job; the careful movement of the torch welded the crack shut again in a smooth, sure stroke. Steam-bubbles rose up as it worked, flashing like jewels in the torchlight. Then the torch went out, and they faded away as they cooled into water once again. The glass now rippled a bit where the crack had been, but any sign of instability was gone. As the Borg turned back to its owner, a crater opened up some distance off, and a rather muddy-looking Black Battle Borg emerged, shaking sand out of its joints. They turned to the Rangers and sent waves of -_Pride, assurance_- to communicate that they were done. Would that be all? 

"Yes, thank you," said Delphine, sending them the words and feelings to be sure they understood. 

-_Contentment, gratitude,_- the Borgs replied. They were happy to be awake and pleased that they could be useful once again. They tacked something else on at the end, an image of them returning, along with a sense of eagerness. They were encouraging their new friends to call them again whenever they were needed. The Rangers answered with their understanding and agreement, and the Borgs vanished in flashes of colored light. However, embedded in each of the Rangers' minds was a sense of listening. The Borgs would always be nearby, waiting. 

In their amazement at the sight of their new friends and the subsequent involvement with learning to communicate with them, the Rangers had forgotten that they were being watched. Now they looked back at the awestruck crowds of civilians, who still had no idea what was going on. 

"Is everyone all right?" Tideus inquired. 

"We're fine," someone said, sounding a bit shaky. "Who _are_ you? What was that all about?" 

"We are the Power Rangers, defenders of this planet," said Delphine. She said it with such assurance that even the Rangers themselves couldn't doubt it. "Those creatures who attacked you are the Razorfins, servants of a creature called the Hydro Hog. You know him as the Taker of the old legends. He has evidently found a way past the restrictions laid upon him, and he has come back for his revenge." 

"Impossible," a man scoffed. "Those are just stories. We tell them to the children, before they grow too old for such nonsense." 

"Do I look like a story to you?" asked Cestro. 

The man stared at the Blue Ranger's dark, unreadable visor, and at the sword he still held in his hands. 

"Perhaps not," he admitted. "You are, then, the Five Lights of the legend? Incredible." 

A child turned to his younger brother, who was watching the goings-on with wide eyes. 

"See?" he said, with all the wisdom of his years. "I told you they were real!" 

"Those monsters, the Razorfins... are they going to come back?" asked a woman. 

"In all probability," said Tideus. "We will all have to be on guard. Have no fear, though - when they come back, so will we." 

The crowd expressed their deep appreciation, as only those rescued from imminent death can do. The Rangers accepted the thanks and praises for a while, until a voice finally cut into their thoughts. 

*_Enough fun,_* said Ninjor. *_It's time for you to come back. There are things we still need to discuss._* 

"We apologize for having to leave you so soon," said Delphine, "but we must go. Farewell." The Rangers made the Aquitian gesture of parting, and then vanished. 

They reappeared in the blue room again, and found Ninjor and Cestria waiting for them. It was, of course, impossible to tell what expression the mage wore behind his mask, but there was something in his stance that told them he was smiling. 

"Fine job, all of you," he said. "You have done very well - better than I expected, even." 

"Is that a compliment or an insult?" Corcus whispered. Tideus shushed him. 

"You were right to guess that the Hydro Hog's monsters will be returning. The insult of being turned back once will only push him to try even more dastardly tactics. The battles will get much more difficult from here on in. Because of this, the ancient laws of the Power do not allow me to force you to fight this war. If you don't want to do this, now is your chance. This isn't a dare, and this isn't to shame you if you don't want to fight. If you don't feel capable, you owe it to the team to step down. What will you choose?" 

"Stay and fight," said Aurico automatically. 

"Yes. I was born to be a leader, war or peace," Delphine replied. 

"And I stick with my friends," Tideus replied. "If they are in danger, I stay by them." 

"And you will need someone with some scientific knowledge to battle the Hydro Hog's mutants," added Cestro. 

"Well, I never was much of a fighter," said Corcus bashfully. "I suppose I ought to say for you to go find someone who would be more useful to you, but... this is really kind of interesting. I want to stick it out for a while." 

"Good," said Ninjor. "I was hoping you all would say that. You're a promising bunch, and I don't say that lightly. Aquitar is in good hands with you around - all of you," he added in Cestria's general direction. 

"Me, sir?" said Cestria hesitantly. "I don't know why I-" 

"Remember, I'm a Gridmaster," Ninjor cut in. "Sometimes I'm permitted to see things that others can't, and I can tell there's something special about you. It may not be evident yet, but a time will come when we will be glad we have you here." 

"Thank you, sir," said Cestria. 

"Any time. You're a nice girl, anyway. And as for the rest of you," he said, turning back to the Rangers, "I am glad you've chosen to stay. The only other thing I have to say to you is that power does come with a price. You do have certain limits - rules you have to follow." 

"We are used to dealing with rules," said Tideus. "We go to school, after all." 

"Fine. Then it won't be hard for you to follow these. As Rangers, you must promise never to use your powers for personal gain - not for money, power, popularity, anything. Because of this, I will ask you to be cautious about revealing your identity. Reveal your true selves to too many of the wrong people, and I will be forced to retract your powers. Also, you must use them with temperance. These powers are for defense, so you must never attack anything that isn't posing a danger, and you must not use more force than is necessary. Do you swear, by all powers in and around you, that you will abide by these rules?" 

There was unanimous agreement. Cestria, on the fringes of things, thought she saw a little ripple go through the air around them as they spoke, but she could never be quite sure. 

"It is done, then," said Ninjor. "After a thousand years, the Lights of Aquitar burn again. You are now truly Power Rangers." 

The Rangers nodded solemnly, and Cestria watched with a sense of awe. It was a momentous happening, one she was privileged to be seeing. She should have been proud and happy for her friends... so why did she feel so sad? 

**

END PART TWO

**


	3. Trouble Hatching

**Trouble Hatching**

**By: SilvorMoon**

"It's very good of you to do this for us, Aurico," said Delphine. 

"Think nothing of it," he answered politely. "We are going to have to help each other from now on, if we want to be able to defend our home. Besides, I can use the practice." 

"False modesty," Tideus accused. "You are the best fighter out of all of us, and you know it." 

"I call that unjust criticism," said Corcus. "I'm the best artist in the school, but I still practice." 

Cestria laughed. "You can't accuse him of false modesty!" 

The Rangers and their friend had come together on the training ground used by Aurico's self-defense class for lessons in hand-to-hand combat. Though their battle earlier in the week had proven that Razorfins were not the most difficult of opponents to overcome, they were heeding Ninjor's warning that the worst was yet to come. Since Tideus and Aurico were the only ones who knew anything about fighting, they had offered to give the rest of their friends some pointers. 

"I must say, this is not nearly as difficult as I thought it would be," Delphine commented. 

"That could be because you aren't doing it right," Tideus teased. "Look. This hand goes _up_ and that hand goes _down._. See? It's called a wheel block. You use it to defend yourself above and below at the same time." 

"And spread your feet out some," Aurico added. "No, not that far. Just enough so you can keep your balance. There, much better. Try it again." 

As Delphine obediently copied the move, the other students watched with varying degrees of approval. 

"Her feet were just fine," Corcus muttered. "Aurico just has to try to get her attention." 

"As if you never did," said Cestro. "And what do you know about any of this? He could very well be right, for all you know." 

"Corcus doesn't try to get her attention," said Cestria, coming to her friend's defense. "He's always very polite. And I think he's right - she really didn't have to move that much." 

"What are you three whispering about?" asked Aurico, cutting into the conversation. 

"Just discussing how patient you are with Delphine," said Cestro innocently. "It must be difficult to teach someone who has never had to learn anything requiring more coordination than knowing which fork to use." 

"I hope that was not an insult," Delphine said. "I will have you know that some of the ballroom dances nobility are expected to learn would be enough to make you musclebound types go pale." Her voice was scolding, but her eyes danced. 

"So that's where you learned it!" said Aurico. "I was wondering how you caught on so fast. You are a wonderful student." 

"And you are a good teacher," she replied. 

"Quit flirting, you two!" said Tideus. "Or have you forgotten you have other, less fortunate students to attend to?" 

Aurico colored a bit. "Sorry. I meant nothing by it. All right, then. How are the rest of you coming? Cestria? Cestro? Corcus?" 

"I'm fine, thank you," said Corcus tersely. "I'd like it if you left me alone and let me practice for myself. I don't need your help." 

"Indeed?" asked Aurico. "Fine words, coming from someone who had never held a sword until yesterday." 

"I'm having a bit of trouble with that wheel block thing, myself," said Cestria. "Could you show it to me, please? Slowly, so I can see just how you do it?" 

Aurico stared at Corcus for just a moment more before turning his attention to Cestria. They worked at the move for a few minutes until she could do it smoothly, while Tideus occupied himself by showing the Blue and Black Rangers a few offensive techniques. Delphine practiced the routine she had been taught and did her best to stay out of everyone's way. By the time the bell rang to send all the students back to their rooms for the evening, the flicker of hostility had died away, and the group was friendly once again. 

"All right, good job, everyone," said Aurico. "Come back tomorrow, and we can pick up where we left off. See you at breakfast!" 

He gave his friends a gesture of farewell, and he and Tideus began heading back to their rooms. Corcus said something about going to the art gallery to sneak a peek at a new exhibit. Cestro turned to Delphine and Cestria. 

"It seems that I am the only one without an urgent mission tonight," he said. "Might I have the honor of escorting you ladies to your room?" 

"I am afraid I must decline," said Delphine. "I was told there is a letter waiting for me, and I must go to the office to retrieve it. Perhaps another time." 

"I'm free," said Cestria. "I guess you can come with me, if you want." 

"I would be delighted," he replied, and offered her his arm. He nodded politely to Delphine as they left. 

"All right," said Cestria, as soon as they were out of anyone's earshot, "what is this all about?" 

"Could you be a little more specific?" Cestro asked. 

"Why are you being so mannerly all of a sudden? I know you; as soon as the day is over, you go to your room and bury yourself in your books and your machines. You're up to something." 

"I just wanted an excuse to talk to you privately," Cestro replied. "I would have liked to speak with Delphine as well, but on consideration, I think it might be best if I left her to make her own decisions." 

"You mean, about the boys?" Cestria asked. 

"A succinct way of phrasing it," he replied. "You know, you are quite a gifted peacemaker." 

"What makes you say that?" asked Cestria, startled at the change of subject. 

"I could not help but notice how quickly you forgot a move you knew perfectly when things began to get tense. I also noticed how difficult you found to relearn it. I call that creating a diversion and stalling for time. I am glad it worked." 

"I had to do something," she replied. "You're supposed to be a team. It would be fair silly for you to start getting into fights with each other." 

"True, but... what can I say? Men are complex creatures," said Cestro, with a hint of a smile. "Aurico has a strong will and a hot temper; Corcus lets his feelings be hurt too easily sometimes. He's also a bit of a romantic, I think." 

"I know he is," Cestria sighed. "He's smitten with her, you know. He talks to me about it, sometimes, when he's drawing me. He thinks she's just wonderful, but he's usually too shy to say anything to her. And in the meantime, Aurico chases her, and I think she's starting to run a little slower these days." 

"You have an interesting way of putting things," said Cestro. "This is a sticky situation, though. Either way, someone has to get their feelings hurt. I admire your wish for peace, but do not try to hold things off too long. It will only hurt more when your protection finally breaks down." 

"I know, I know," she said, blushing a little. "I can't help it. I guess that's why they made me a Healer. I hate seeing anyone in pain, and I just want to do anything to make it stop." 

"I understand. You have a good and loving heart, Cestria," Cestro answered. He considered. "Who knows? Perhaps a gentle-hearted Healer would make a better match for a shy artist than a proud noblewoman would." 

Cestria turned bright red. "Stop it! What have I got to offer anybody? I'm just a plain girl with no money and no looks." 

"Maybe so," said Cestro. "And maybe not. And here is your room, so I must bid you goodnight. Maybe you could have a word with your roommate. Perhaps she will talk openly to you - or, miracle of miracles, she could listen. Goodnight, Cestria." 

"Goodnight, Cestro. It's been... interesting." 

She entered her room and sat down at her desk, reaching from habit for paper and pens to start on her homework, but she only stared at the blank sheet, thinking. Normally, she loved her lessons, and even homework was interesting, in its way, but now concern for her friends was overriding anything else that might contend for her concentration. She lost track of time while she sat and considered, but it couldn't have been very long before the door to her room opened with a bang. She jumped. 

"Don't _do_ that!" she exclaimed. 

"Sorry," said Delphine, sounding unusually breathless. Cestria felt suspicion flare up concerning where her friend had been all this time, but her mind was set at ease by the sight of a large and important-looking envelope that Delphine carried. Judging by the protective way she held it, it had to be something momentous. 

"What's that?" asked Cestria curiously. 

"My parents wrote to me," Delphine replied. "I had no idea they would." 

"Well, don't just stand there! Open it!" 

"Oh. Right." With considerably more excitement than she had shown over her entrance exams, she ran a fingernail down one end of the envelope and withdrew a sheet of fine, cream- colored paper. The seal of her family's house was stamped into the upper corner of the sheet, and the penmanship was a step short of calligraphy. Delphine set it on the corner of Cestria's desk so they could both look at it. 

_Dearest Daughter,_

_It is with greatest pleasure that we learn of your performance in the Hall of Learning. Inquiries with the staff have produced nothing but glowing praises - as we expected, of course. It has also come to us that you have been making many friends there, which we applaud. Always remember that one cannot have too many allies when the time comes for you to take up the mantle of duty. Do not neglect to favor the common children with your presence from time to time. It will make life easier for you in the future if the ordinary people remember you kindly. Because your welfare and education are so important, the School has agreed to rescind its visitation policy to allow us to spend some time with you and learn firsthand how you are faring. Until then, we remain_

_Your Loving Parents._

"Are they always like that?" asked Cestria. 

Delphine sighed. "They really are not quite as bad in real life. They just feel like they have to be formal in writing - someone might quote them." 

"That's not what I mean," Cestria said. "I mean that business about 'favoring the common children' and making allies. Who do they think you are, the queen?" 

"Oh, that," said Delphine. "They never did have a high opinion of ordinary people. You remember how afraid I was that none of you would like me?" 

"You never acted like that, though. I mean, I never saw you treat any of us like we were... I don't know, inferior or anything." 

Delphine smiled ironically. "I know. I believe they pushed me in the opposite direction of where they wished me to go. The more they talked about looking down on the commoners, the more I wondered if they really looked up all that much at us. I was sure if you all knew how scornfully you are treated, you would never want anything to do with me." 

"Well, _you're_ nice," said Cestria, "even if your parents... I can't say anything without insulting them, can I?" 

"I would not advise you to try. A closed mouth gathers no feet, as someone said," Delphine answered. "Anyway, like it or not, I am afraid they will be dropping in for a visit. They may be surprised at what they find. You will have to be on your best behavior. Since we live here together, they will be watching you for any little thing that might corrupt me." She shrugged resignedly. 

"Oh, dear," said Cestria. "Hadn't you better get someone else to pretend to be your roommate for a while?" 

"No," said Delphine firmly. "You will do fine. Besides, I could never lie to my parents. Did you notice how much they know about what I do here without ever having seen me? They have people watching me." 

"Nice," Cestria said bitterly. "I'm sure I'll love your family." 

Delphine sighed. "Maybe I should move in with your family. Do you want a sister?" 

Cestria couldn't help but giggle, and Delphine managed to laugh along with her. They turned their talk to making preparations for the big day, considering what best to wear and where they could go. When they finished talking and turned to their lessons, Cestria had forgotten all about her conversation with Cestro... for the time being. 

~*~

As the days passed, it became gradually more difficult not to notice the undercurrent of tension. Delphine was too preoccupied with the imminent arrival of her parents to pay much attention - after all, her practice in dealing with other people was limited, and she never realized that a few of the casually spoken words among her friends carried double meanings. None of them were being obviously hostile yet, but the others were painfully aware of a change in attitudes. Corcus, normally their most peace loving member, was starting to show another side of his character. He was tense and moody, taking umbrage at any real or perceived insult. Cestria, Tideus, and Cestro did what they could to defuse the situation, but Aurico was choosing to ignore the warning signs. There was no choice but to brace themselves and wait for the storm to hit. 

"I wish I knew what your problem was," said Aurico to Corcus. They were both on their way to their classes, the location of which required them to follow the same route for a distance. 

"You should know," Corcus replied. "You are the problem." 

"I would like a little more information," said Aurcio, trying to keep his temper. "Corcus, this is unlike you. What have I done to make you so angry?" 

"You have the nerve to ask?" Corcus retorted. "Did I not see you yesterday talking to Delphine, offering her some _special_ training that night?" 

Aurico missed the innuendo. "I do not understand. Why should that be a problem? You invite Cestria to the studio to model for you all the time." 

"What? How can you level such accusations at me!" 

"Accusations? Corcus, what are you talking about?" asked Aurico, genuinely confused and heading towards angry. "_You_ are the one making accusations. What is this all about?" 

"You need it spelled out? You've taken her! You took her away, and I never even got a chance," said Corcus. 

"Taken...? Wait a minute. Is this about Delphine?" 

"It took you long enough to figure it out." 

"How was I supposed to know?" Aurico asked. "I never knew you were interested in her! You never said anything." 

"I know," answered Corcus glumly. "It's just.... she's so beautiful and intelligent and important, and I didn't know how to tell her, so..." 

"You just kept your mouth shut," Aurico finished. 

Corcus nodded. "And now spend all your spare time with her. She likes you, Aurico. You won her before I could even get in the game, and it's not fair!" 

"Well, I suppose I should say that I'm sorry," Aurico replied. "I _am_ sorry. I'm sorry you got your feelings hurt, I'm sorry things didn't work out better for you, I'm sorry we have to be at odds with each other over this. But Corcus, you cannot stop me from caring about Delphine, and you cannot stop me from being friends with her or seeing her. I'm not going to give her up just to make you happy." 

"I know. We are at something of an impasse," said Corcus. "If we keep this up, it will tear our team apart, won't it? But we can't give up, either." 

"If that is the case," said Aurico, "perhaps the best thing to do would be to explain this whole thing to Delphine? She has a stake in this too, you know." 

"You mean, have her choose?" asked Corcus, looking interested. 

"Why not? She would have to do that anyway, eventually. Tell her what you feel. At least then you will know you had your chance." 

"But we both have to promise that once this is over, we won't fight over it anymore," said Corcus. 

"Right. No fighting," Aurico agreed. He smiled slightly. "This sounds more like one of the mock-courts they teach in my classes. It is not what you would imagine a fight between two lovelorn young men to be like." 

Corcus blushed a little. "It is strange. But you're my friend. I suppose I can't be angry at you for too long." 

"You know something else?" asked Aurico. "I believe you are starting to talk like Cestria." 

"You leave her out of this," Corcus replied. 

"Why? Were you hiding something when you said..." Aurico trailed off without finishing his question. "Wait a minute. Do you hear that?" 

Corcus paused, listening. Somewhere in the distance, he could hear the sounds of someone shouting. 

"That sounds like trouble," he said. "Maybe the Power Rangers need to look into it?" 

"That would be the most sensible thing you have said all day," Aurico replied. "Come on!" 

The two of them sprinted off, side by side. 

Following the noise led the pair to the great hall, a kind of indoor courtyard where assemblies were held on important occasions. During ordinary times, it was a crossroads where the various hallways came together, making it a good place for the students from various classes to mix with each other. At this time of day, it should have been full of young Aquitians hurrying to their next lessons, filling the halls with the sound of their conversations. They should not have been in quite so much of a hurry, though, and they certainly should not have been screaming. From various corners of the school, the Rangers heard the noise and followed it. What they found was a single green Razorfin, who appeared to be entertaining himself by running around and chasing people. 

"Well, well," said Tideus, "if it isn't the class clown!" 

"This is no place for jokers like you," Cestro added, "so I suggest you take your act elsewhere." 

The Razorfin heard the threats and chuckled. All around him, the room was clearing out, as people rushed to take themselves elsewhere. None of them were taking any notice of the six who stood still, except to let them register as unmoving objects in their path to freedom. The Razorfin did notice, though, and was amused. 

"Would you look at this!" he said. "Would you just look? Everyone else in this school of fish has gone away, and you six are just standing there. You know what that makes me think?" 

"You can think?" asked Aurico. 

"That makes me think that there must be something about you six that's weird," the Razorfin continued. "You want to tell me what it is, or should I just bash it out of you?" 

"That would be fun to see," Tideus opined. "In case you haven't noticed, there are six of us and one of you." 

"That can be fixed," answered the Razorfin. He touched a green pearl that was set on his armor at the hollow of his throat, and it sparked briefly as the magic was activated. "Listen up, mates! I think I've got them! Get down here on the double!" 

"Got us? We've got all the exits guarded," said Cestria. "I should say we have him." 

"What are you doing here, anyway?" Delphine whispered to her. "You should get out of here before it gets dangerous!" 

"I'm in no danger," Cestria protested. "I've fought one of these things without fancy powers, and I want to help!" 

"Do not be foolish," said Cestro. "Get to safety before-" 

There was a sudden warping in the air that set everyone's teeth on edge for an instant, and then there were a dozen Razorfins where only one had been before. All of them were of the more intelligent green variety, and none of them looked friendly. 

"Too late," Cestro sighed. 

"I think this calls for some reinforcement," said Aurico. 

"Right," Delphine agreed. "Aquitar Ranger Power, now!" 

As they made their transformation, they were aware of a screeching sound echoing through the room, the sound of shouting Razorfins. Strangely enough, they didn't sound frightened. They sounded like they were cheering. 

"All right! I knew it!" said one of them; it sounded like the first one. "The Lights of Aquitar are a bunch of kids!" 

"They're here to learn their ABC's," another taunted. "Maybe we can teach them some colors! How about black and blue?" 

"Look at her!" shouted one. "That one over there has no powers! Is she a cheerleader, or what?" 

Cestria fought to control a blush of shame. "Shut your drooling mouth. Children with sticks would be too powerful for you." 

"Cestria, would you get out of here?" said Aurico in annoyance. "This is our fight!" 

"Yes, run, little girl!" a Razorfin sneered. "Run home to your mommy, before we make you into fish sticks!" 

Cestria glared at the Razorfins and her friends with equally insulted looks before turning to run down the halls. Delphine sighed; they would discuss the issue later. Right now, though, she had bigger problems to attend to. 

"Now, then," she said, "I will not have cretins like you violating the sanctity of these halls of learning. By the Powers of Light, I order you to leave these premises or face the consequences." 

"Ooh, listen to miss hoity-toity," a Razorfin sneered. "You guys must be hard up if you let a _girl_ lead you." 

"How dare you insult her!" Corcus shouted. 

"I'd like to see you stop me," the creature replied. 

Infuriated, the Black Ranger leaped at the sneering monster, forgetting for the moment about its armored body and clawed hands. He went down in a shower of sparks, his armor scarred by the mark of eight knifelike talons. As he writhed in pain on the floor, the other Razorfins moved in to finish him off, and for a moment he was obscured by flashing fins and blades. 

"Idiot," muttered Aurico, drawing his sword. "Unhand him, you freaks!" 

He leaped into the crowd of monsters, and the other Rangers copied his example. The hallway was filled with the noise of battle. 

In all the chaos, no one paid any attention to the single Razorfin who slipped from the melee and into the silent hallways. His clumsy-looking flippered feet were surprisingly quiet, making only a faint squidging as he walked. He walked slowly, turning his wide yellow eyes to peer down side passages and through any doors that might have been left ajar, trying the handles of any that were closed. Nothing was open, though - everyone who had seen the approaching danger had run and locked themselves in their rooms. The Razorfin pondered opening a few with his claws, but what would be the point? What he really wanted to find was a public place. He had something to hide, and he had to leave it where it would eventually be found. 

He carried the object gingerly. It was a small, shiny thing like a polished stone, a six inch long ovoid that appeared to be carved from some hazy grey-black stone. The Razorfin carried the egg in the cups of its palms, taking great care not to scratch it with the talons it had such a hard time controlling. Most of the greenfins were still learning not to cut themselves to shreds when attending to itches. As for the black egg's care, the Hydro Hog had seriously considered asking General Coldtooth to carry it, but had decided that it would raise suspicion. 

In the end, the Razorfin found a garden, a nice, quiet, cool, wet spot. After scanning the area, it picked out a shaggy bush and set the egg in the damp soil beneath it. Then the Razorfin touched the communication pearl at its throat. 

"It is done," he said. 

The greenfin leader heard the message over the battle noise and took a sigh of relief. These Rangers were dangerous things, and had slain several of his followers as they fought to rescue their teammate. 

"All right, troops!" he bellowed. "We've got the signal! Let's get out of this dump!" 

There was a roar of agreement, and the Razorfins were gone. The Rangers rushed to the side of their friend, too concerned for his safety, for the moment, to wonder why their enemies had left so suddenly. Corcus, looking badly battered, struggled to rise. 

"Down," Delphine commanded. "Do not injure yourself any further just to save your pride. We all know you are hurt." 

"Someone should call Cestria," said Cestro. "She is the one who would best know how to attend to this." 

"I'll call her," Tideus volunteered. "You bring him to the temple. We will meet you there." 

The other Rangers nodded and teleported away. Tideus sighed. 

"I knew it would come to something like this," he muttered, and went to look for Cestria. 

~*~

Cestria stormed down the halls in a rare fit of bad temper. She couldn't decide who she was really more angry with - the Razorfins for jibing and insulting, or her Ranger friends for not letting her help them. Did they think she had become suddenly weak just because they now had new powers? When she had been living at home, she had always been allowed her independence, and she knew how to look after herself. 

*_I'm not less worthy than they are, and they know it! Ninjor himself admitted that he would have made me a Ranger if he could. I'm as good as any of them, so why are they pushing me out of the way?_* 

She ranted silently to herself as she walked, arguing all the good reasons why she should have been allowed to stay. Finally, she began to find the empty silence of the school oppressive, and she paused in an alcove to rethink the situation. She didn't like the way the portraits on the wall were staring at her. With her friends elsewhere and the rest of the school in hiding, she felt very alone. Absently, her hand went to the white shell in her pocket. Why had she been given that thing, anyway? What good was a magic shell when there was no good use she could put it to? 

*_I'm not needed,_* she thought. *_I'm just getting in their way, really. If I try to help them, they'll feel like they have to protect me, and they'll wind up getting hurt for me. They're safer if I just keep out of their way. I'm just a - a fifth wheel. I'm here to help, but really I'm just a liability..._* 

She didn't even realize how upset that thought made her until she felt a pain in her hand. She had closed her fist around the white shell so tightly that it had drawn blood. She brushed it away, looking at the curved mark the shell had left on her skin, amazed that the seemingly fragile object hadn't broken under the pressure. It must have been made out of something stronger than the average seashell. 

*_It's something special,_* she decided. *_All right. I'll let that be my sign. No feeling sorry for myself. Ninjor says I'll be useful sometime, so I'll just have to wait. I can wait. Still, it's going to be lonely, being caught on the outside._* 

Just then, she heard the sound of someone running, and looked up to see the Yellow Ranger hurrying her way. 

"There you are," he said. "I've been looking all over for you... Is something wrong? Your eyes look red." 

"It's nothing," she replied, rubbing at one eye. She was surprised to feel a dampness there, and she quickly brushed it away. "How did the fight go?" 

"Not well. Corcus is hurt badly. We need your help." 

"Need me? Well, that was quick," she said. 

"I beg your pardon?" 

"Never mind. Let's go." 

~*~

"I suppose you realize," said Delphine, "what a foolish thing that was to do." 

Corcus nodded miserably - and winced. "Ow! Careful!" 

"I'm trying. Just hold still," Cestria replied. "I've almost... there! That should do it. You can open your eyes now." 

The Rangers had gathered once again in the blue room to discuss their last battle, as well as to attend to their comrade's injuries. Beneath his protective armor, his skin was crisscrossed with bleeding gashes left by the Razorfins' claws, and just the sight of the blood had nearly sent the young man into a faint. Cestria had ordered him to lie down, and he had kept his eyes tightly shut while she stitched and bandaged. 

"Are you sure?" he asked, sitting up and blinking experimentally. She had given him medicine to numb the pain, but a number of gauze wraps attested to the extent of his injuries. 

"If you feel well enough to move, you probably are," answered Cestria. "Just don't do that again, all right?" 

"I won't, I won't," said Cestro ruefully. "I guess I was rather foolish, wasn't I?" 

"Very foolish," said Delphine sternly. "What possessed you to do such a thing? It is unlike you to be so reckless." 

"I know, but they were insulting you and, well... I guess I just lost my temper." 

"It would seem so. You have been losing your temper quite a bit, as of late. I hope you realize, though, that I can fight my own battles if I am insulted." 

"I know," said Corcus again. "You are a better fighter than I am. I suppose I just wanted to do something heroic." 

Delphine gave him a hard stare. "I hope you were not doing that just to impress me?" 

Corcus answered by blushing, and Delphine sighed. 

"I wondered if that might be it. It would not be the first time something like that has happened... While I am on the subject, I suppose I should mention that this would not be the first time I have had people fighting over me." 

Now Aurico reddened a bit, and Corcus stared ashamedly at his hands. 

"You knew?" asked Aurico. 

Delphine nodded. "I was not raised to be unobservant, and as I said, this is not the first time. Really, I suppose I should be flattered." She smiled a little. "I hope I am right in believing this is the first time I have had anyone interested in me for myself, and not for my money or social status. However, I hope you can understand when I say that I am not really prepared to reciprocate." 

"Recipro-what?" asked Aurico. 

"Come again?" Corcus said. 

"I am very fond of both of you, but you are my _friends_. Romance... has not always gone well for me. I have lost too many good friends by trying to make more than a friendship. It would promote too much friction if we let our relationships be anything more than that of friends and allies. Maybe if the situation were different..." She shrugged and smiled sadly. "I am sorry, but I am not yet ready to let myself fall in love." 

There was a moment of heavy silence. Aurico sighed. 

"I suppose we have to abide by your decision," he said. "That was what we agreed, anyway. What do you say, Corcus? Can we put this behind us?" 

"I think I would like that," he answered. 

"Good," said Tideus. "This emotional business depresses me. Besides, I would like to point out that we still have the safety of the universe to think about. Why did those Razorfins appear today, and why did they leave again so suddenly?" 

"It was a trick," said Cestro with certainty. "A ruse to lure us out and reveal our identities, so the Hydro Hog will be able to target us more easily. That was why only one appeared at first. I am willing to wager that there were others scattered all throughout the city, in hopes that one of them would be able to find us." 

"So why did they leave so soon?" asked Aurico. "They could have killed Corcus if they had stayed longer. We just barely had ourselves protected." 

"They left all at once, as if on a signal," Delphine said thoughtfully. "Perhaps there was more to their attack than just looking for us." 

"Any ideas as to what?" Tideus asked. 

"A diversion," said Delphine. "While we were busy fighting Razorfins, someone else must have been carrying out some other mission." 

"It was quiet, whatever it was," Cestro mused. "What could a Razorfin do quietly?" 

"Steal something, maybe?" Corcus hazarded. 

"Theft is a possibility," Delphine agreed. "Perhaps sabotage, though I doubt a Razorfin would be good with anything technical." 

"Perhaps," said Cestria thoughtfully, "whatever they did hasn't happened yet." 

"What do you mean by that?" asked Tideus. 

"Maybe what they did it something that won't show any results until later," Cestria explained. "Just like what we talk about in class. If you catch a disease, you may not know about it until days later." 

"Then we will have to keep our eyes peeled," said Cestro. "Anything can happen." 

The other Rangers voiced agreement. 

"I believe we should get back to school now," said Delphine, "before someone realizes that we are gone." 

"My next class is still an hour off," Corcus said. "Maybe I should stay here and recover for a while." 

"I can look after him. I'm done for the day," Cestria added. 

"Fine. The rest of us are headed back to our academia," said Tideus. "Take care." 

The other Rangers teleported away, leaving Cestria with her charge. 

"I really messed up, didn't I?" said Corcus. 

"Attacking the Razorfins? That was perhaps not the brightest thing you could have done," Cestria agreed. "Rather brave, though. Romantic, in a way. I thought it was only in stories that young men put their lives at stake for the honor of their ladies." 

"I guess I've been listening to too many old ballads," Corcus answered apologetically. "Do you think she thinks I'm foolish now?" 

"I think she's a little more understanding than that," answered Cestria reassuringly, "and I think you shouldn't worry yourself too much. It might not be good for you. You've lost a bit of blood, you know." 

"Don't remind me of it," said Corcus. "I feel a little dizzy. Maybe I should go back to my room, after all, and take a nap." 

"That wouldn't be a bad idea," Cestria replied. Then, screwing up her courage, she added, "If it makes you feel any better, I always thought you were something special." 

Corcus managed to smile at her. "Thanks. I... I'll remember that." 

Cestria nodded and said goodbye. Like any of her profession, she knew when a patient needed time to heal. 

~*~

Deep below the black waters, the _se'kannan_ whispered among themselves and shuddered. One of their number had been called away on a special errand for the master, and that could mean nothing good. There had been a point in time where they had been used as guinea pigs while the Hydro Hog had experimented with creating his Razorfins. A full dozen had been sacrificed in the creation of General Coldtooth, as his creator experimented with their brains in an effort to instill greater intelligence into his creations. Now... now one of their people had been called away, and he had not come back. There had been no body, nothing to clean up, just emptiness. His family fretted. When they timidly asked the General, he had said nothing save that the master was hatching a plot, and it did not concern them. They were relieved that he did not beat them for having the impertinence to ask him a question, but he was feeling cheerful after hearing news of the last attack. As soon as he had seen to it that the greenfins were safely stowed away in their barracks and the _se'kannan_ were being kept out of trouble, he went to make his report to his master. 

"Took you long enough," said the Hydro Hog as he saw his commander arrive. "What were those soldiers of yours doing up there? Having a picnic?" 

"Fighting," said General Coldtooth, ignoring the jibe. "After all, they couldn't disappoint the Rangers when they were so clearly looking for a fight. Things went well, too - I warned the boys to be cautious, and we hardly lost any of them. They say it looks like they might have put one of the Rangers out of commission for a while, though." 

"Not bad!" said the Hydro Hog in grudging approval. "Better than I expected, at any rate. Where were those little pests holing up, anyway? You did locate them, right?" 

"Oh, that's the best part," Coldtooth answered. "We found them at the Halls of Learning! We aren't dealing with a group of warriors here. They're just a bunch of untried children!" 

"So you mean to tell me that a bunch of untried children thwarted your first attack?" 

Coldtooth cringed. "I never said they were weaklings. After all, they do have powers - you admitted that much yourself," he added boldly. "But now that we have your little surprise planted, we'll know their every move. We can hit them before they even know we're coming." 

"You talk about that like it was your idea," the Hydro Hog grunted. "All I can say is, things had better start shaping up soon, or I'm going to start shopping around for a new general, got it?" 

"Believe me, Majesty, everything is matchlessly clear," answered Coldtooth, bowing. "Will that be all?" 

"For now. Go back to your hole in the wall, and don't come back unless you have something worthwhile to report." 

"As you wish." Coldtooth saluted and marched out of the room. 

The Hydro Hog watched his general, as he watched all things, with a mistrustful glare. As soon as he was alone, he made a clumsy gesture with one hand, producing a fizz of bluish sparks. Out of the sparks, he drew something like an oyster shell, grey and warped. With some difficulty, he pried the shell open, revealing the pearly insides, polished bright enough to be reflective, brighter than it should have been in the dark room. He set it on the arm of his throne and settled back to wait. 

~*~

Tideus was a half-mark late to class. If he had been a better student, this lapse might have been accepted more easily, but since he was not precisely his teacher's prize scholar, his reception was not the warmest. 

"So, you decide to honor us with your presence at last, young master Tideus," said the Botany professor. "How very kind of you." 

"I am most sorry, Professor Myambit, but I ran into an unforseen difficulty," Tideus apologized, staring down at his boots in embarrassment. 

"As did we all," the professor replied. "I am not unaware of what transpired today. However, despite such unforseen difficulties, the rest of my students appear to have made it to class with time to spare. Would you like to explain why your difficulties were so much more profound than ours?" 

"Well, you see... one of my friends was injured by the monsters," said Tideus. "We had to bring him to a Healer." 

"I see," said Professor Myambit. "You say 'we.' How many of there were you?" 

"Um, well... there were five of us, but-" 

"And how many people does it take to move an injured man?" 

"Not many, I suppose," Tideus admitted. 

"Not many. Certainly not five. Just how severe were these injuries, anyway?" asked the professor. "If the injuries were severe, he should be in the healing bay right now. I am sure a few of your classmates would like to go and extend their well-wishes." 

"The injuries were not severe, really. A few deep scratches is all." 

"I see. If that was all, why did he not take himself to a healer?" Professor Myambit asked. "Better yet, is not one of your young friends studying to be a healer? Surely she would be able to treat him without moving him anywhere." 

"Actually, she did," said Tideus, knowing he was beaten. 

"I thought so. So you really had no reason to go anywhere, and you certainly have no excuse for being late to class. So much for your _unforseen difficulties._ Unless you have something more you would like to add?" 

Tideus sighed. "No, Professor Myambit. I have no excuses." 

"Fine," said the professor, looking pleased with himself. "Since you have decided to skip a few moments of my irreplaceable tutelage, you will no doubt be willing to make up for it by weeding the one of the gardens tonight." 

"Of course, Professor Myambit," Tideus replied, trying not to wince. Weeding the gardens was the usual punishment assigned to make up for minor rule infractions. It was far from severe discipline, but it tended to be tiring and dirty, and usually left the offender feeling sore and worn enough to think twice about goofing off again. So far, Tideus had managed to avoid such undignified labor (sometimes by narrow margins), and he was not looking forward to it now. 

He spent the remaining part of the lesson lurking in the back of the room and trying to ignore the stares and whispers all around him. To make matters worse, Professor Myambit seemed to have taken it into his head to help Tideus catch up on what he'd missed by quizzing him on the material the class had covered in his absence, forcing him to admit that he didn't know, and then allowing him to be laughed at while some more prompt student supplied the answer for him. He spent most of the class with his face in a notebook, taking pages of notes to cover his embarrassment and swearing by everything he could think of that he would never offend his Botany teacher again. He wished he were in his Biology class, which was taught by a good- humored, portly gentleman who tended to chalk up such lapses as simply the heedlessness of youth. Professor Tollan would have let Tideus off with nothing more than a warning to be more careful next time. As it was, the Yellow Ranger was almost glad to get out of class so he could get on with his punishment and get the whole messy business out of the way. 

At last he was set free, and he scrambled to collect his things and hurry to the gardens. Half-jogging down the halls, he glanced down at his watch and made a few mental computations. He'd been ordered to make up double what he'd missed in class, the theory being that he wouldn't learn nearly as much from pulling weeds as he would from his teacher's enlightening prose, so he would be at his digging for a full mark. It was a mark and a half until it would be time for him to report to the evening meal, giving him just barely enough time to finish his work and get cleaned up for dinner. Reaching the small storeroom that was located next to the garden, he explained his case to the head gardener, signed himself in, collected a spade and a weed-bucket, and put himself to work. 

As he inspected the garden, he reflected that things could have been much worse. Between miscreants like himself and the attentions of the gardener, the little plot was well-maintained, and he wondered if he would even be able to find a full mark's worth of work to do. A number of bright lights lit the area, giving the illusion of sunlight, even though the blue ocean could be seen through a window on one side. It was cool, quiet, and private in the gardens, and the beds of herbs and flowers added sweet and spicy perfumes to the air. Even the damp earth smelled pleasant enough, if you were the kind who appreciated such things. Tideus was, and he took a moment to enjoy it all before beginning his labors. 

It was then that he noticed an odd indentation in the dirt near his feet, and he stooped to make a closer inspection. At the edge of a flower bed, in just the place a hurried foot might have fallen as it rounded a curve in the path, was a deep footprint in the well-watered earth. It was not the mark of a school-issue boot, nor the heavy prints left by the gardener's work boots. It was wide, wedge-shaped, and faintly showed the patterns of webbing between the toes. There were also four smaller but deeper holes that could have been left by curving claws. 

"Razorfin tracks?" Tideus wondered aloud. "What would a Razorfin want with a garden?" 

Briefly and uncomfortably, he recalled the earlier conversation concerning the Razorfins' ulterior motives for their visit. Possibilities flickered through his mind - poisoning the food supply, stealing herbs, planting a bomb. He looked around with a critical gaze, but nothing seemed to be disturbed. There didn't even seem to be any more footprints. 

*_Perhaps it didn't do anything here, after all,_* Tideus told himself, trying to think calmly. *_Perhaps it only passed through here on its way to do something else. I will tell the others anyway. If nothing else, this will give us a place to start looking for trouble._* 

Still wary, and not quite convinced by his own rationalizations, Tideus found a patch of weeds and started ripping at them. Being a Power Ranger was certainly not easy on the mind. A moon-phase back, he'd had nothing more on his mind than trying to pass all his tests, and now he had the fate of the whole world, and possibly the rest of the universe as well, in his hands, and he had to keep it in mind _all the time._

*_This job could get to be tiresome._* 

Meanwhile, beneath the protective foliage of a large berry bush, something was beginning to happen. A small, dark, ovoid object had suddenly started to shimmer with bits of saffron light as it tasted the presence of the Yellow Ranger nearby. When he did not move away, the egg began to flash in other colors, adding a purple-blue glow that shifted like sunlight seen through the ocean's surface, giving the underside of the bush a submarine look. Then, as the energy grew stronger, the egg silently hatched. The lights flashed brightly a final time as the shell dissolved, and something appeared. 

Tideus stiffened as he heard something moving nearby, and he looked around just in time to see the lower branches of the bush tremble. It was a very old and shaggy bush, big enough to hide one or two full-grown men if it had to... or any number of unpleasant surprises a Razorfin might hide, if not the Razorfin itself. 

"Is someone there?" he demanded gruffly. "I warn you, I am no one to be trifled with. Attempt any harm, and you are liable to find yourself in a great deal of pain." 

"No harm," said a tremulous voice in the shrubbery. "Please, good sir, spare me! I wish you no harm." 

Curious, Tideus moved closer and peered beneath the bush. There was definitely something under there, something that looked unpleasantly familiar. He gasped in surprise. 

"You are a _se'kannan_!" Tideus exclaimed. "A real, live _se'kannan_! Just wait until the natural history department sees this!" 

"No! Please, you must not let _anyone_ see me," the _se'kannan_ begged. "If anyone knows I am here, they will come and kill me! I beg you, have mercy!" 

"They? They who?" asked Tideus, curious. 

"My master's people, the _kinus-paric,_" the creature explained. "I slipped out when they came to attack this place, followed them here. I just wanted my freedom. You have no idea what it is like to be a slave forever in that city of eternal night..." 

The _se'kannan_ sounded as if it were close to tears, but it broke into a coughing fit instead, making the foliage rattle noisily as it shook. Tideus stepped back a little, suddenly thinking of germs and plagues. 

"You sound a bit unwell," he said. "Would you at least see a Healer if I promised I could find you one who can keep a secret?" 

The _se'kannan_ nodded and coughed again, its whole body shaking with the effort. 

"Fine, then. Come on out of there. I promise, no one is going to see you, and it cannot be good for your health to sit down there in the wet earth." 

With painful slowness, the _se'kannan_ did as it was told, and Tideus watched with interest. He had assumed that at least some of the degeneration of the first one he had ever seen had simply been because it had been dead at the time. Now he was proven wrong. The _se'kannan_ was indeed covered in black, slimy-looking skin, and very little else. Its only clothing consisted of a few tattered rags that just barely kept it decent and a metal collar set with a hazy grey stone, apparently some mark of ownership, for there was writing etched into its surface. Except for a pair of bright, black, and startlingly intelligent eyes, the thing looked like the living dead. 

"Worse than I thought," Tideus muttered. "My name is Tideus. What should I call you?" 

Shyly, the creature replied, "I am called Kaya." 

Tideus felt an internal wince. Kaya was a good Aquitian name; he'd had a cousin named Kaya. Apparently, what Ninjor had said was true: the _se'kannan_ were truly people of Aquitar, warped by evil magic. Now that he had a chance to look at one in full light, he could even see the resemblance in the pattern of scales on the slave's face. The thought of it made him feel sick - and angry. The idea that someone could do this to a sentient being... 

"Come on, Kaya. Keep your hopes up. You are with friends, now." 

~*~

"I have to wonder how you stay so calm," Delphine commented. "I would have thought you would be at least a _little_ apprehensive about all this." 

"You would think," answered Cestria. "Actually, I was wondering why you've been acting so nervous yourself. After all, they're your parents. You know what to expect." 

"I know. That's why I'm so nervous." 

"Funny to have to be afraid of your own family," Cestria commented. 

"I am not afraid, exactly. Just... as I said, apprehensive. My parents can be a bit overwhelming at times." 

"I still don't see why you're so nervous. What's the worst they can do?" Cestria asked. 

"I would rather not think about it," Delphine sighed. "You know, Cestria, you are a very lucky person. You have always had so much freedom. People are always watching me, telling me what to do, noticing if I say or do the slightest thing wrong. I never realized how stifled I was back home before I came here. Now I finally have a place where I can speak my mind without fear of someone telling me that I am being improper or undignified, but if my parents decide that I am not ready for that kind of freedom, they can pull me out of the school and make me take private lessons at home. I would have to leave this place and all of you. I might even have to give up being a Ranger." 

"They can't do that! That's crazy!" Cestria exclaimed, shocked. "You're our leader, Delphine! We couldn't get by without you!" 

Delphine shrugged. "My family would not see it that way. They would see me being reckless and unladylike. No _lady_ would be out risking her life on a battlefield. Common people fight. Nobility sits back and plans." 

"You don't believe that, though," Cestria commented. 

"No, I don't. But my parents do, and until I reach the age of majority, I am bound to obey them." 

"Your parents don't like soldiers?" asked Cestria, staring at Delphine speculatively. 

"No, I believe we have established that they do not - at least, not in terms of me being one," Delphine replied. "Is there something about that you find interesting?" 

"I was just thinking that your parents would probably disapprove if they found out you were friends with fighters like Aurico and Tideus. Aren't you worried?" 

"I have no reason to be worried. Mother and Father would just assume that I was cultivating their loyalty in the event that I might someday need their protection," answered Delphine with a touch of bitterness. "I hope they never found out I have been training with them." 

"It would be rather uncomfortable for you if they thought you had taken a more personal interest in them, though, wouldn't it?" 

"Uncomfortable would not be the word for it. Why are you so interested in the subject all of a sudden?" 

"I was just wondering," said Cestria slowly, "if your parents' opinions might have had something to do with you rejecting Aurico." 

"It has nothing to do with it," Delphine snapped. "I am capable of making my own decisions, and I am perfectly content with that one." 

"Then why did you get angry when I asked you about it?" asked Cestria. "I can see how much your parents' opinions mean to you. I know you want to make them happy. I just can't help but think that you might be trying to please them to the point where you've stopped thinking about yourself. Just think what kind of a leader you'll be if you always do what everyone else wants you to do." 

"A good leader should put the benefit of others above her own," said Delphine, but it sounded weak. 

"I don't know anything about being a leader, but I think it should also require knowing when to stand up for yourself and do what you believe in. A person could hardly be called a _leader_ if they don't make people follow them every once in a while." 

"You are correct. I know you are correct, but... sometimes it is difficult. You will understand later." 

"Somehow, I don't think I will," Cestria replied. "Delphine, you are a brave, intelligent, strong person. You should prove that to them instead of making excuses." 

"Do you really think I am making excuses?" Delphine asked. 

Cestria nodded. "I wouldn't say it if I didn't." 

"Hmm. Perhaps you are right," said Delphine. "I will give it some consideration." 

Any further conversation along those lines was interrupted by a pounding on the door. 

"Is there anyone home in there?" shouted Tideus's voice. "I have a little emergency here!" 

"Oh, dear, not another one," Cestria sighed. She rose from her desk and went to open the door, and was startled to have a _se'kannan_ nearly fall on top of her. She shrieked. 

"Careful!" Tideus exclaimed. It was unclear whether he was speaking to Cestria, the _se'kannan_, or both of them. 

"What in blazes?" Delphine swore. 

"This is Kaya," said Tideus, trying to prop up the unsteady _se'kannan_. "I found him in the gardens. He's not that healthy, and I thought he could use a Healer's care, so I brought him here. Cestria, do you think you can help him?" 

"What kind of miracle worker do I look like?" asked Cestria. "I don't even know if the High Healers could do much for him, and I'm just a novice!" 

"I'm fine, really," said the _se'kannan_, attempting to stand on his own. "Just a little weak. Does anyone... that is, could someone please get me a drink of water?" 

He took a few unsteady steps before his legs gave way, and he just barely managed to fall on Cestria's bed. 

"Oh, no, you poor thing!" she said, sympathy overcoming revulsion. "Delphine, would you please go see if you can find something for him to drink?" 

Shaken though she was, Delphine managed to nod and scurry off, leaving the doctor with her patient. Tideus looked on with interest. 

"I guess this means you plan on helping him after all?" he asked. 

"I'm not leaving anything in pain if there's something I can do to help him, whether he's an Aqutian or a _se'kannan_ or a singing clam," said Cestria. "I may not be able to do much, but I can try. But why didn't you bring him to one of the High Healers? I admit, this is Ranger-related, but still-" 

"He said he didn't want to have people experimenting on him. He's deathly afraid of experiments," said Tideus with a shrug. "From what I gather, Hydro Hog used to use the _se'kannan_ as living science projects. He would cut them apart to see what was inside, so he could use them as models for his Razorfins." 

Cestria shuddered. "Fine. I'll remember that while I'm looking him over." 

Kaya was watching them both with wide, frightened eyes. 

"You aren't going to cut me, are you?" he asked. 

"Of course not! I'm just going to look at you, okay?" said Cestria soothingly. "I only want to help you. You're safe here." 

"Safe," the _se'kannan_ repeated. "What's that?" 

Cestria stared into his eyes and saw honest confusion, and, deeper than that, the wariness that comes from living in constant fear. He truly had never known what it meant to be safe. Cestria felt tears pricking at her eyes. 

"It means that no one is going to hurt you here, Kaya," she said. "That's all behind you now. No one is ever going to hurt you again." 

The _se'kannan_ gazed up at her, his expression unreadable, and she could see him shivering. Finally, whatever was building up inside of him became too much for him to hold, and he broke down in racking sobs. Cestria was startled, but instinct, as always, prompted her to try to offer comfort. Her hand moved almost of its own accord to gently massage the creature's back, as she would have done for a fretful small child. She hadn't wanted to think about what it's slimy- looking skin would feel like, but it was actually warm and soft, not at all unpleasant. 

"Is he going to be okay?" asked Tideus worriedly. 

"I think so," Cestria replied. "He's just a little overwhelmed, I think. I'll look after him." 

"I know you will," said Tideus. "If anyone could look after one of these creatures, it would be you. I just hope my Biology professor never finds out about this!" 

"We'll just have to keep quiet about it," Cestria replied. "Very quiet. Where are we going to put him? He can't stay in my room forever! The housekeepers will find him, and then we'll be in a real mess." 

"Um," said Tideus thoughtfully. "Talk to Cestro. I think the students of technology are given private workrooms to keep each other from spying on the other's work, or something like that. He might be willing to offer his up for a worthy cause." 

"That could work," said Cestria. "I'll go look for him now." 

"And I'll go back to my digging weeds," said Tideus with a grimace. "I don't know what I'm going to tell the head gardener when he finds out I've deserted my post." 

"Convince him you had to go to the euphemism," Cestria answered. "That's one thing they won't try to make you explain in too much detail. Kaya, will you be all right if we leave you alone for a few minutes? I promise I'll hurry right back." 

The _se'kannan_ nodded. "I don't mind. I would be glad for a few quiet moments to rest." 

"Of course," said Cestria. "Poor thing, you've had a hard time, haven't you? Well, things are going to get better, don't you fear. Just relax here, and I'll be back in a minute." 

Cestria and Tideus left the room and its occupant to go about their errands. Kaya stayed frozen for a moment, listening for the sound of anyone who might be approaching. When nothing stirred, he sat up and touched the grey stone on its collar, making pale light shimmer from within the crystal. 

"I must make this report quickly," he whispered, "before the one called Delphine returns. I have been successful in my mission. From now on, the Rangers will be able to do nothing without me seeing them, and all will be reported to you." 

There was a distant, bubbling chuckle, the sound of a deep-sea monster that was very pleased with itself. 

"Very good," said the Hydro Hog. "With you spying on them, we'll be able to rub out those Rangers before they even know we're coming!" 

~*~

"They're coming! They're coming!" shouted Cestria, bounding into the room. 

"Who?" asked Cestro. "What in the deep blue ocean are you talking about?" 

"Delphine's parents," said Cestria. She picked her way through Cestro's belongings, shoving various mechanical objects out of the way with her feet, and found a patch of empty space on a workbench where she could sit down. "I thought you knew about that." 

"I knew they were coming but... today? I thought we had more time than that." 

Cestria shook her head. "We just got a message. They'll be arriving this afternoon with full entourage. It's going to be quite a show." 

"I'll bet," Cestro agreed. 

From a corner of the cluttered room, Kaya peered at them both with wide eyes. He'd spent the last few days hiding in Cestro's private workroom, appearing only when one or more of his caretakers was around to protect him. He seemed to have recovered a great deal, thanks to Cestria's ministrations, but he never lost that diseased appearance that kept him from looking wholly Aquitian. The little group had gotten so used to his quiet presence that unless he spoke, they hardly noticed he was there anymore. As for the _se'kannan_ himself, he seemed shy around his new friends, preferring to watch them and say little. Right now, he was watching the exchange between Cestria and Cestro with wide-eyed attentiveness. 

"I'm a little bit nervous about seeing them," Cestria admitted. "Well, actually, a _lot_ nervous. While I'm at school, it's easy to forget I come from a poor family. Even Delphine acts like we grew up next door to each other these days, but her parents are so grand and important, I hardly know how to act around them." 

"I thought Delphine had been coaching you," said Cestro. "I would have thought you had your script down by now." 

"It's more than that," Cestria replied. "I have to change the way I talk, the way I dress, the way I act, everything, just so her parents will decide I'm a fit company for their daughter and won't haul her back to her home to be privately tutored. They can do that, you know. They can pay the teachers here to come to her house every night and teach her." 

"They'd do that just to avoid her having to live with a commoner?" asked Cestro. "What a ridiculous waste." 

"Delphine says they call it 'preserving their standards' or something like that," Cestria replied. "Isn't it crazy? I wish I knew how to tell them that Delphine isn't so different from the rest of us that she needs to be kept in a... in a _quarantine_ like that." 

Cestro smiled. "You have been paying attention to your medical studies, I see." 

"This isn't a laughing matter, Cestro," Cestria scolded. She sighed. "I'm just frustrated. Deep down, I know Delphine's one of us, just a normal person, and she doesn't like having to live in the box her parents have made for her. I wish I could convince them... or her. She's so nervous about seeing them, she kicked me out of the room. Well, not kicked, but..." 

"I get the idea," said Cestro. "I get the idea that you are worrying far too much over something you have no control over." 

"Perhaps you're right," said Cestria. "Delphine's just been so nervous, I think it must be rubbing off on me!" 

"I know I am right," Cestro replied, smiling. "You are a very good hearted girl, and that makes you worry for us. It is a sign of how much you care for Delphine that you worry about her like this, but worry accomplishes nothing. I suggest that you do something else for a while to take your mind of your troubles, at least until it is time for you to prepare for your visitors." 

"That's probably a good idea," she replied. "Hmm. Oh, I know! Have you seen the new exhibit in the art department? Corcus was showing it to me yesterday. Someone was experimenting in metal welding - they took all the scraps from the technology department and put them together." 

"Some of my failed projects are probably in there," said Cestro. "I might enjoy seeing that." 

"You might find it interesting," Cestria replied. "Come on! You've spent enough time in here, anyway. A little cultural education wouldn't hurt you." 

The two headed for the door, waving goodbye to Kaya as they left. He waited until he was sure they were too far away to hear him speak, and then waited a little longer, just in case they might have decided to dawdle somewhere nearby. Having never known anything in all his life but threats and fear, he didn't trust anyone or anything, even in so innocent an activity as taking a walk. Besides, this was the first time in his life he'd ever had to betray someone. His hand went to the grey stone on his collar. 

"I have news," he said in a near-whisper. 

"Then don't just sit there all day! Spit it out!" the Hydro Hog snapped. "I hired you to send me information, not make small talk! Out with it!" 

Kaya cringed at the sound of his master's voice. "The young noblewoman, Delphine... her parents are arriving here today. There's a great deal of excitement about it. The Rangers are distracted, particularly the White Ranger, I think." 

"Hmm..." said the Hydro Hog. "This could have some possibilities. Fine. Tell me as soon as they arrive, as long as they don't catch you. The name of this game is surprise, got it?" 

"Yes, Master," Kaya answered obediently. 

The light of the grey pearl went out, and far away, the Hydro Hog closed the enchanted clam shell with satisfaction. He shot a glance at his general, who waited patiently to do his master's bidding. 

"Well," he said, "you heard our spy. Gather your best troops and head for the Hall of Learning. I want that Ranger brat's parents to get a royal welcome!" 

**END PART THREE**


	4. Fifth Wheel's Turn

**Fifth Wheel's Turn**

**By: SilvorMoon**

Lord Randus and Lady Inimonia swept through the doors of the Hall of Learning, pausing briefly to admire the surroundings. 

"It hasn't changed a bit," Randus remarked. "They do a remarkable job of preservation." 

"We did not come to admire the scenery," his wife replied. "We came to visit our daughter. Let's not waste time." 

"Right as always, dear," answered Randus. "Hello! Where _is_ everyone?" 

In answer to his call, there came a clatter of booted feet against the hard tiled floors, and Headmaster Ossodil came scampering into view, his hands clasped before him, head bobbing in bows of subservience. 

"My lord and lady, welcome! Welcome to the Hall of Learning! Truly we are honored by your presence. Anything I may do for you..." 

"We wish to see our daughter, of course," said Randus. "I believe we sent a missive to that effect some days ago." 

"Yes, of course. She is enjoying her free period at the moment, but I will have her located and brought to you at once." 

"No, no," said lady Inimonia. "We wish to see her quarters, to see how she lives. How else are we to ascertain whether or not she is being treated according to her station?" 

"I assure you, my lady, we have taken every possible step to ensure-" 

"We wish to see her in her rooms," said Randus. 

The headmaster bowed. "As you wish." 

Meanwhile, Delphine sat at her desk, delicately nibbling at a fingernail, being careful not to damage the laquer she had painted onto it that morning. Never had she been so nervous about encountering her own parents. Normally, she was the perfect daughter - obedient, deferential, always careful to live up to their high standards. Now she suffered from a crawling sense of... guilt? It couldn't be guilt; she had done nothing wrong. Still, imagine if they found out that her roommate and - yes - her dear friend was a commoner of one of the most lowborn families in the pod-cluster? What if they found out that the only suitors she had collected were a pair of boys who were destined to become a soldier and a painter, respectively? Her mother had boasted - privately, when her husband was not around - that she'd had no fewer than fifteen offers for her hand while she was studying here at the Hall of Learning, most of them noble and all of them wealthy, or with potential to become so. She would be disappointed to learn that Delphine hadn't even made an attempt to curry favor with the noble boys who studied here. 

*_And just imagine if they found out that I have taken up fighting!_* she thought, and suppressed a shudder. If that little scrap of information got out, her parents would drag her home so fast, they would probably pull her right out of her boots! 

*_I will not go home! I am needed here. I need to stay here..._* 

The door opened. Only years of careful self-training kept her from showing any emotion; otherwise she would have jumped. 

"Mother, Father," she said smoothly, "I am pleased to see you." 

She rose and curtseyed, bowing her head. Her father extended a hand and let it rest lightly on her shoulder, which was her signal to rise and meet his gaze. She tried to read something there - some expression of disapproval, perhaps, but his mask was even more carefully constructed than her own. 

"It is we who should be pleased," her mother said. "Pleased to see our daughter in such an exalted place as this. You make us proud, my child." 

"Thank you, Mother," she said, without any particular enthusiasm. The words were part of a scripted dialogue, and told her nothing of how her mother really felt. 

"I expect you are doing well here," said her father. A slight shift of expression made the comment a question. 

"My grades are flawless." 

"I was speaking of more than your test scores, my daughter," he replied. "How are you being treated?" 

"My teachers are quite fair," said Delphine. "I do not sense that they favor me because of my noble blood." 

"And the students?" her mother prodded. 

"I have had no problems." 

"My dear," said her father, "I sense that you are not being entirely candid. Come. If there is something wrong, tell us, and we will see to it that it is repaired." 

"You cannot repair everything," Delphine answered. Instantly she wished the words hadn't been spoken. She had gotten entirely too used to speaking her mind, spending time with ordinary people! 

Her father's mouth twitched in an almost-frown. "Now we're getting somewhere. What manner of problem is it? A personal difficulty, I'd wager. There are always ways of dealing with such things. If nothing else, we can advise you." 

Delphine fought to recover her composure and formulate an appropriate reply at the same time. 

"I know, Father," she said, schooling herself into a rigid calm. "What I mean is, part of the reason I am here is to learn to conduct my own affairs. That is one thing someone else cannot do for me. If you please, Father, I would prefer to deal with this problem a bit longer before I seek outside help." 

"An admirable sentiment," said her mother, not looking completely convinced. Her eyes roved around the room. "You have a comfortable room. Things have improved here since I was a student. Where did you acquire these lovely works of art?" 

"They were gifts," said Delphine. "A young man who studies here drew them for us." 

"Us?" her mother repeated. 

"My roommate and me." 

"I see." Once more, her gaze traveled around the room, as if expecting the aforementioned roommate to be hiding in a closet or under the bed. "To be frank, I had expected that they would give you a private dormitory." 

"I requested one," Delphine answered, "but there are so many students here this year, there was no room. Some students are staying three and four to a room as it is. I was lucky to have only one." 

"Where is she? Surely she knew we were coming," said her mother. "It would only be polite to come meet us." 

"I believe she had a class at this hour," Delphine lied. "I am certain she will be here as soon as she can." 

"Ah. I see." That was her father speaking. "You two are... compatible?" 

Delphine guessed that was his way of saying, "She _is_ like us, isn't she?" 

"I am lucky to have her as a roommate," answered Delphine carefully. "She is a young woman worthy of respect." 

Her father gave that half-frown again, and once again, Delphine felt sure he was seeing right through her. 

"You are becoming a diplomat," he said slowly. "You give replies that sound like answers and tell me nothing of what I want to know." 

"Perhaps," said Delphine delicately, "I am misunderstanding your question. Please state your questions plainly, the better that I might answer them." 

Her father gave a sigh of exaggerated patience. 

"Very well, then," he said. "You will tell me, right now, the station of the young lady you claim as your roommate. Now. Plainly." 

Well, there she had it. Delphine realized belatedly that she had just talked herself into a corner. Her only choice now was to give her father the answer he wanted. She steeled herself, took a deep breath, and... 

The door burst open, and Cestria dashed in. Her clothing, which had been neatly cleaned and pressed that morning, was now wrinkled and pulled askew. She was breathing in a way that suggested she had been running at top speed for some distance. 

"Delphine!" she gasped. "You have to hear - Kaya - he's vanished, he..." She trailed off, catching sighed of Delphine's parents. 

"Oh, hello," she said weakly. 

"Good afternoon," said Randus. The windows should have frosted over at the tone of his voice. Cestria quailed. 

"I hope," said Inimonia, "that _this_ is not your esteemed roommate." 

Delphine hung her head. "Yes, Mother, she is." 

"This will not do," said her father. "It is a mistake, and it will be corrected at once. Really, Delphinia, you should have reported this to us the moment it happened. We would have had it straightened out in an instant..." 

"I did not want you to straighten it out," said Delphine quietly. 

"Neither did I," Cestria answered defiantly. "I _like_ Delphine. And she likes me, or at least, I think she does." 

"I do," said Delphine. "Mother, Father, _please_ listen..." 

"I will not hear it!" said her mother indignantly. "To think that the flower of our family should have sunk so low as to associate with a common garden weed such as this..." 

"I am not a weed!" Cestria snapped. "Don't you slander my family that way! Maybe they were just farmers, but they're the ones who slave away to grow the food _you_ eat. Maybe you should try it. Then you'd have something better to do with your time than look down your nose at people." 

"Quiet, Cestria, you're not helping," Delphine hissed. 

"I don't care," said Cestria. "I'm going to be a Healer someday - if either of them get sick, it would be people like me that they'll call on. Their lives might depend on me someday, and they have no right to go calling me names for it!" 

"This has gone far enough!" Randus snapped. "It is obvious a grave error has been made, and justice shall be meted out accordingly. Until then, you, Delphinia, are to be taken home and given some proper instruction, away from this kind of common rabble." 

"I will not go home!" Delphine shouted back. "I am staying here! My friends are here. I'm happy here, I _belong_ here. I've learned so much from these people..." 

"You have learned bad habits," said her father, "and obviously, defying your parents is one of them. You are going home right this instant, and we will begin looking for a proper tutor for you the moment we get there." 

"But - but - but!" There was a clamor as both girls tried to object at once. Randus began shouting things that were largely ignored, and Inimonia gasped inarticulately. At the height of the hubbub, the door opened again, and Cestro appeared in the doorway. Everyone froze. He stood quietly for a moment, sizing up the situation. 

"My lord, my lady," he said, bowing smartly to both of the adults. He turned to his friends. "Lady Delphinia, Cestria, we have a problem. Your assistance is needed. Excuse us, please." 

Before anyone on either side could stammer a protest, Cestro had taken both girls by the wrists and dragged them out of the room. The door swung softly shut behind them. The lord and lady stared. 

"Well!" said Inimonia. 

"Who was that?" asked Randus, frowning. 

"I do not know, and I do not want to know," his wife replied. 

"This is more serious than I had first anticipated," Randus said. "We will speak to the headmaster at once and let him know what we think of his methods of controlling his students." 

They swept out of the room and began marching at their fastest swift-yet-dignified pace to the headmaster's office to let him know they were withdrawing their daughter from his care. 

They never accomplished their objective. 

~*~

As soon as they were out of the room, Cestro pulled his friends into a headlong dash, not minding that Cestria had not properly recovered from her last run and that Delphine was hampered by her best dress. 

"Where are we going?" Delphine managed to ask between breaths. 

"We are searching," he answered tersely. "Kaya has vanished. The lock on my laboratory door was forced - forced by something that left scratch-marks in the metal around the lock. I suspect something more than just a curious fellow student." 

"Razorfins?" Cestria guessed. 

"Why would they be interested in Kaya?" asked Delphine. "Even as a slave, he cannot be worth very much." 

"I begin to have suspicions that he is more than a slave," Cestro replied. He led them around a corner and stopped in a large hall that had smaller passages leading off in several other directions. "We will split up. Even in his improved condition, I doubt he could go far." 

The girls nodded and set off down separate corridors. Cestro continued moving forwards, trying to fight the suspicions that were forming in his mind. Kaya had seemed so innocent, so pitiful... of course they would take him into their midst, look after him, take him into their confidence... 

*_He was so grateful for our help,_* he thought. *_He was so frightened by the enemy, so happy to be away from him. He wouldn't betray us... not unless the Hydro Hog gave him no choice._* 

He dashed around a corridor and nearly collided with Aurico. 

"There you are!" he said. "We've been looking all over for you! Corcus found him. He's in a bad way - come and see." 

They hurried along the maze of corridors, eventually turning up in one of the lesser-used rooms, a large warehouse primarily used for storing assorted supplies like fabric for clothing and extra light crystals. Corcus and Tideus were crouched on the floor next to a crumpled figure and several rolls of undyed cloth. There was a sizeable dark puddle on the pale floor, and Cestro thought bitterly that no matter how this episode ended, the school's only care would be that Kaya had stained their clean fabric. He knelt next to the fallen figure. His chest was rent with deep gashes, and his breathing bubbled ominously. Cestro shook his shoulder. 

"Kaya! Kaya, can you hear me?" 

Kaya's eyes flickered open. 

"Too late," he whispered. "They've come. I'm sorry..." 

"Who has come?" Aurico demanded. "Talk!" 

"Razorfins... Told them... the lady's... her parents. Came for them..." 

"Delphine's parents?" asked Corcus, aghast. 

Kaya nodded. "Told them... were coming here... today. I'm sorry... No choice. _He_... would've killed... my family... my mate... my children... No choice. I'm sorry. I didn't want...." 

He gave a kind of hiccup, and his eyes rolled back in his head. He slumped. The boys watched him a moment, but he didn't move again. 

"We will hear no more from him," Cestro pronounced gravely. 

"They killed him," Corcus whispered. "Lured him here and killed him so he wouldn't try to warn us..." He looked up, his dark eyes suddenly flashing fury. "I will not allow this!" 

"We can do nothing for him now," said Aurico. "What we must do now is get to Delphine's parents before the Razorfins get to them." 

"Right," the others agreed. There was a pause. 

"Does anyone know where they are?" asked Tideus. 

Cestro considered. "The way things were going... I would wager they want a talk with Master Ossodil by now." 

The others nodded. They took to their feet, suddenly more anxious than they had ever been to get to the headmaster's office. 

~*~

Delphine's only warning was a distant scream, making her halt her search for the missing _se'kanan_ and instead look for the source of the cry. It rang out again with new intensity, and she felt her stomach clench as she realize that it was her mother's voice. 

*_Where would she.... Master Ossodil's office!_* 

She turned and ran, dashing recklessly around corners and up corridors, and within moments, she had stumbled onto a scene of panic. 

A gang of six Razorfins, all of the particularly nasty green variety, were standing in a circle around her parents. Lady Inimonia was looking paralyzed with fear, staring round-eyed at the horrors that surrounded her; her husband was trying ineffectually to shield her with his arm. The Razorfins hadn't appeared to have caused any damage yet - they were having too much fun enjoying the terror they were causing by their mere presence, but it was clear to Delphine that they weren't going to stop at just gibbering and making face. 

"Leave them alone," she commanded. 

The Razorfins stopped what they were doing, and instead looked up at Delphine with their goggle-eyes bulging and their toothy mouths hanging open as they pondered whether or not they ought to listen to her. Razorfins had been trained to obey an authority figure, and Delphine had quite a commanding presence. 

"Delphine! What do you think you are doing? Get out of here?" her father shouted. 

"No," said Delphine. "I am going to handle this situation here and now." She closed her eyes and drew herself up to her full height. "_Powers of Water, powers of Light, powers UNITE!_" 

There was a burst of searing white light that made the staring Razorfins suddenly howl in agony as their eyes were assaulted by the blaze. Clamping their clawed hands over their faces didn't help matters any. Their confusion lasted only seconds, but it was all the time Delphine needed. Two of them were destroyed in a single sword stroke before they even had time to realize what was going on. Her parents stared. 

"Delphine?" said her father in a strangled voice. "What - what?" 

"Later," she answered. 

A claw was lashed in her direction, and she jumped - jumped in front of it, taking its force on her armor instead of letting it strike her parents. She parried it with her sword and drove in for a quick kill, but was halted as two more monsters moved in behind her, forcing her to deal with them. She grimaced behind her mask; four against one were still very bad odds, considering they had two hostages to play with. 

*_Rangers,_* she thought fiercely. *_I need you here now!_* 

There was a faint, very faint response: *_We are coming._* 

Delphine dashed in a fast circle, trying to keep her parents protected on all sides at once, batting Razorfins out of the way as quickly as she could. Without time to aim, she was unable to land any of the devastating blows that would have rid her of her problems, and being everywhere at once was an exhausting task. 

A claw slipped past her defense and raked her father across the arm, and he bellowed in pain and shock as blood welled over his fine clothing. Delphine snarled and lunged - and got a foot rammed into her stomach. She staggered backwards... 

...and someone caught her. 

"Looks like we arrived just in time," said Aurico, propping her back onto her feet. Tideus leaped past them both to ram his sword down the monster's throat, making it explode in a startled burst of sparks. 

"You did indeed," she answered. 

Corcus dove into the fray and slashed at a second Razorfin, sending it the way of its comrade. The final two tried to escape, but Cestro jumped to intercept them. 

"Not today, I think," he said calmly. "Get by me if you can." 

Finding themselves caught with fighters on all sides, they did they only thing they knew how to do: rush forward in a helpless charge. Cestro ran one through and tripped the other, sending it sprawling. Corcus walked over and put it out of its misery. Delphine's parents continued to stare. They didn't snap out of their daze until Cestria walked over with her first aid pouch in her hands. 

"You are injured," she said to Lord Randus. "I believe gashes like that need a Healer's care." 

"I can afford better Healers than some backwater girl!" he snapped. "Delphine, what is this all about? Why - how - how did...?" 

"Father," she said, "I have been chosen as one of the Five Lights. I am a Power Ranger now, a defender of the people. _All_ the people - rich and poor, noble and common. My friends and I are as different as the colors we wear, but our purposes are the same. You cannot deny my place here." 

"You... are a warrior?" asked her mother faintly. "Couldn't - couldn't someone else do it?" 

"No," said Delphine. "Even if they could, I would not back down. You cannot make me. I am learning that. Mother, Father... my destiny is to save the world. Could anything be more noble?" 

There was a moment of silence. Delphine waited. 

"I understand none of this," said her father at last, "but I can see that there are indeed forces at work that are beyond my control. If this is your choice and you are happy with it..." 

"I am." 

"...then I will not try to stop you, much as I might wish matters had fallen out differently. I do not approve of this, but... nevertheless..." 

He didn't finish his sentence, but he shifted his feet and looked uncomfortable. 

"Thank you, Father," said Delphine. She turned to her friends. "Can we go now?" 

"Let's," said Cestro. 

There were six flashes of light, and then Lord Randus and Lady Inimonia found themselves standing alone in the hallway. They stood in silence a moment before turning around and walking out of the building. 

~*~

The Rangers manifested themselves in the inner chamber of Ninjor's hideout and powered down to their everyday selves. They found the mage himself standing before his viewing circle, presumably reviewing their exploits. 

"Hello, all," he said. "I had a feeling you might come back here and regroup." 

"It has been rather an exhausting morning," said Tideus, finding a projection from the wall and sitting on it. 

"I'm all confused," said Cestria. "What just happened here?" 

"The long and short of it is, we had a spy in our midst," said Cestro. 

"A spy?" Cestria repeated. "Who?" 

"Kaya." 

"No!" she exclaimed. "He wouldn't - he couldn't..." 

"He did," Cestro replied. "He managed to tell us some things. From what I gather, he was being forced to spy on us by the Hydro Hog. If he didn't do as he was told, his family was to be killed." 

"That's awful!" Cestria exclaimed. "Where is he now?" 

"Gone," answered Cestro. 

Cestria blinked. "You mean... he escaped?" 

Cestro lowered his gaze. "In a manner of speaking." 

"The Razorfins got him," said Aurico. "They wanted to make sure he didn't turn on them before they got to Delphine's parents." 

"No! You can't mean - he isn't - dead?" 

"I am sorry," said Corcus. "There was nothing we could have done. His injuries were too severe." 

Cestria closed her eyes, tears trickling down her cheeks. 

"I should have been there," she said. "I'm a Healer - I could have done something..." 

"Even if we had gotten there at the moment he was injured, nothing could have saved him," said Cestro. "Do not burden yourself with things you couldn't have helped." 

Cestria sniffled. "I liked him." 

"As did we all," answered Corcus. "All we can do for him now is fight to make sure nothing like this happens again." 

"I would be very glad if nothing like this ever happened again," said Delphine. 

"You performed admirably today," said Ninjor. "You stood up for what you knew was right, and at a great cost. I am proud to have you as a Ranger." 

Delphine smiled weakly. "Oddly, I find your words mean a lot to me... though why I should take you so seriously, I have no idea." 

Ninjor laughed. "You're the same as always." 

"It would have gone better if I hadn't shouted at your parents," said Cestria. 

"You were right to shout. I wish I had shouted a bit more, myself," Delphine replied. "I am proud of you, too, my friend." 

Aurico was leaning against a wall, staring off into space, deep in thought. 

"The Hydro Hog is growing rather more daring," he said. "Placing a spy in our midst - attempting to capture hostages - or worse. Whatever he comes up with next is going to be worse. We must all be on our guard." 

"We were on our guard already," said Tideus. "Look what happened." 

"Well, we're just going to have to try harder," Aurico replied. 

"What we need," said Cestro, "is a way of communicating with each other and moving quickly from place to place, even when we aren't morphed." 

"Such a thing can be done," Ninjor replied. "It's been done quite successfully in the past. You can help. If you aren't doing anything, we can start right now." 

"The sooner the better," Cestro agreed. 

"Right this way, then," said Ninjor. "Have I ever shown you my workroom? No? Well, then, you're in for a treat! Come on!" 

He waved vaguely at a swirl on the wall, which suddenly unraveled itself and turned into a passageway. Ninjor marched through the doorway, with Cestro trotting behind, trying to disguise his eagerness at the prospect of seeing the tools and machines used by a Gridmaster. 

Delphine, meanwhile, was striking up a conversation with Aurico. 

"Thank you for coming to my rescue earlier," she said. 

"It was the least I could do." 

"Perhaps," she said. "Perhaps I have been unfair to you... You are worthy of esteem, no matter what my parents would have to say about the matter." 

"Do you care what they say?" 

"I care about the opinions of my friends more." 

"Including me?" 

"Yes." 

"I don't think we want to hear the rest of this conversation," Tideus whispered to Corcus and Cestria. "What do you say we head back home? It won't be very cheerful, but we do have to deal with Kaya's remains. We should be the ones to do it - I think we three knew him best." 

Cestria nodded silent agreement. Corcus did likewise. It would be a painful task, he knew, but he had a feeling it would be a lot less awkward than hearing the rest of what Delphine and Aurico were saying to each other. 

~*~

The next few days were subdued ones for Cestria. She was still feeling down about the death of Kaya - as a Healer in training, she had known objectively that she wouldn't be able to save everyone she treated, but there was a difference between knowing that she had done everything she could and feeling that she could have made a difference if she had just _been_ there. Again, too, it was hard knowing that he _would have_ survived if the Razorfins hadn't come to dispatch him. The worst part was that she had to go through her mourning privately. There was no way she could tell anyone outside her small circle of friends what was wrong. 

Cestria wasn't the only one who was less than ebullient. The other Rangers, Tideus and Cestro in particular, were feeling Kaya's loss. On top of that, Corcus was also fretting over the developing relationship between Delphine and Aurico. All of them knew that there had been a shift in the way the two treated each other, though it would have been difficult for an outsider to see. Delphine, proper to the end, was always careful to maintain a cool facade as long as she was in public or even among her friends. That was probably a good thing; it was doubtful just how Corcus would have reacted if they had been more public with their blossoming romance. 

To top it all off, the Rangers were now spending more time than ever worrying about what the Hydro Hog's next move would be. Whatever it was, they were sure they weren't going to like it, and they weren't entirely sure they could make any accurate guesses as to what it would be. Aurico spent a lot of time brooding, Tideus stopped making as many jokes, and the girls began suffering from nightmares. 

It was a tired and somewhat grouchy Cestria who heard a knock on her door late one afternoon. She had been wrestling for an hour with her homework and getting nowhere with it; the anti-infection cream she was supposed to be concocting was not coming out at all the way the book said it should have, and she was at a loss to figure out what had gone wrong with it. At the sound of the interruption, she shut her book in disgust. 

"What is it?" she sighed. 

"Cestria? Have I come at a bad time?" 

"Oh! Corcus, I didn't know it was you," she said, softening her tone a trifle. No matter how bad her mood was, she could never bring herself to be sharp with him. "Come in. I needed a break anyway." 

The door opened, and Corcus peered shyly in. He eyed the collection of jars, bottles, dishes, powders, and liquids that were strewn across her desk. 

"Having trouble?" he asked. 

"A bit," she answered. "I'm stymied. Don't worry - I think I would have quit soon anyway, if you hadn't come along." 

"Oh, good. I mean, not that you're having trouble, but..." 

She laughed a bit. "I know what you mean. Don't just stand there in the door like that; I'm not going to bite. Come in. Sit down." 

He shook his head. "I don't think so. I mean... actually, I came to ask if you'd like to go somewhere with me." 

"You did?" 

"Yes." He took a breath and released it, with the air of one who has just finished doing something difficult. "If that's all right with you, I mean." 

"I'd like that," she said. "I think that might be just what I need. Where are we going?" 

Corcus smiled. "It's a surprise! Come on - we've got to hurry, or we'll miss it!" 

"Miss what?" 

"The surprise!" 

He took her hand and began leading her out the door and down the hall, while she scrambled to keep up. By the time she got her feet properly organized beneath her and had adjusted her breathing to running at top speed, she realized they were headed for the aquacraft docks. 

"The surface?" she asked between breaths. 

"Right," he said. "It's the only place to see it." 

"See what?" she asked. "Never mind, I can guess. The surprise, right?" 

"Right," he agreed. "Don't worry. This won't take long." 

They found a spare aquacraft and climbed aboard. Corcus studied the controls a moment; he didn't use the vehicles as often as Tideus did, and it took him some thought to control them properly. Cestria deemed it wisest to stay silent during the trip - not that she minded. Perhaps it was just the amount of time she had spent helping him with his artwork, the silent hours during which she sat perfectly still and let him draw her, but she was comfortable being silent around him. If it had been anyone else she was traveling with, she might have felt a bit awkward at having nothing to say, but she was never uncomfortable around Corcus. 

Just as he promised, the journey to the surface did not take long at all. They were heading for the island closest to the city, no more than a fifteen minute trip. Cestria watched the changing light with interest as they rose closer and closer to the air above. The last time she had come this way, the water had been much brighter than it was now. She also thought the water was moving differently; the plants she saw were tossing vigorously in strong currents. When at last they reached land and stepped out on the beach, Cestria was further surprised at the strength of the wind, and its coolness. The sky, once gloriously blue, had turned an ominous-looking gray. 

"This doesn't look good," she said nervously. "Shouldn't we come back some other time?" 

"Of course not," he said. "This is what we came to see! There's going to be a storm today, and I wanted to watch." 

"Storm?" she repeated. She thought she'd heard of such things before, but... 

"Yes," he said. "Water evaporates, collects in the air, and then falls. When there's a lot of it at once, you get a storm. Tideus could explain better how it works, but I'd rather look at it than talk about it, wouldn't you?" 

There was a distant roar, like the rush of the waves on the beach, but louder. Cestria jumped closer to Corcus and eyed the sky apprehensively. 

"What was that?" she asked. 

"Thunder," he said. "It's the sound of the water moving in the sky. It can't hurt you. Just watch, now - watch out there where the clouds were thickest." 

Cestria watched. For a moment, she saw nothing but swirling dark vapor, and she wondered briefly if this was all some kind of strange joke, or if it were something that only an artist would appreciate. She certainly saw nothing - and then she saw, and barely stopped herself from jumping again as the cloud shot off a spark of light. There was another crash of thunder. 

"Lightning," said Corcus. "Amazing, isn't it?" 

Cestria nodded, keeping her eye on the clouds. They seemed to be moving closer. Every few seconds, they would throw down another bolt of lightning, glowing lavender-white against the black clouds, and the whole sky would light up. In a few moments, there was a pattering as water began falling in drops from the sky - Cestria could actually see it as it left rows of pockmarks up the beach, coming closer and closer until they were falling on the two of them. She laughed. The falling drops were pleasantly cool, and they tickled where they touched her skin. Tearing her eyes away from the light show above her, she saw that Corcus was smiling, too, clearly enraptured by the display of natural power. She had to admit, it was a little bit scary being out in the middle of all this, with the wind whipping around her and the storm crashing overhead - but it was undeniably beautiful. 

Within a few minutes, the storm had blown itself out, drifting back out to the open ocean and leaving behind only a few puffy pale clouds in its wake, like footprints across the sky. On the beach was a quantity of churned-up sand, a few seashells tossed ashore by the waves, and a pair of students, both soaking wet and breathless. 

"What did you think?" Corcus asked. 

"I never imagined anything like it," she answered, still watching the retreating storm. From time to time, she could still hear a soft rumbling and see a streak of lightning. "Does it happen often?" 

"During certain times of the month, yes," he answered. "This was the first one of the season. I'm hoping to paint one after I see enough of them... but I wanted you to see this one. I hope you liked it." 

She met his eyes a moment, then blushed and looked away. "Yes. I did. Thank you." 

"Oh," he said. "Good. Um... You know, I've been thinking..." 

"Yes?" 

"Well, this was fun," he said. "I thought it would be nice if we got together to do fun things more often." 

"That would be nice," she agreed. 

Corcus opened his mouth to say something more, but he never got the chance. Just then, there was a rustling in the shrubbery, as of some large animal, and both of them turned to see what was causing the disruption and hoping fervently that it was nothing dangerous. They were disappointed. 

"Well, what have we here?" said the Razorfin. "A couple of young lovers out for a stroll? Aren't you cute!" 

"I wish I could say the same for you," said Corcus. "What are you doing here? Go bury yourself in the sand with the rest of the beached fish." 

The Razorfin stared hard at Corcus. It began to laugh. 

"Wait a minute! I know who _you_ are! You're that stupid Black Ranger! I thought we put you out of commission weeks ago! Well, this is a nice surprise. We knew _somebody_ was dumb enough to come up to the surface, but we never guessed it would be one of _you_." 

"What am I, dried kelp?" Cestria muttered. 

"I don't know _what_ you are," said the Razorfin, "but both of you are coming back home with me! _Now!_" 

There was a greenish flash, and a dozen other Razorfins of assorted colors appeared out of nowhere to back up their comrade. Swiftly, Corcus morphed into the Black Ranger. He gave Cestria a push. 

"Get back to the aquacraft. I'll protect you," he said. 

"I can't just leave you!" 

"I'll be fine, now get out of here!" 

He gave her another push, and she began running as best she could. The wet sand was slippery and shifted under her feet, and she had never been a fast runner to begin with. Corcus did what he could to hold off the Razorfins, but their numbers were too great for a lone warrior to deal with at once. 

*_Ninjor, wherever you are, now is a good time for you to come and help!_* he thought fiercely. 

He wasn't really sure what he was really expecting - he wasn't even totally sure the mage was really going to be able to help in a situation like this. Therefore, he was startled when a small explosion rocked the area, and Ninjor himself appeared in a burst of blue light. 

"You called?" he asked. He glanced around the battlefield at the collection of confused- looking Razorfins who were staring at this strange new arrival. "Yes, I see, we do seem to have a problem here. Well, let's see how much I've forgotten in the last few centuries. Come and get me, you lacustrine cretins!" 

The Razorfins looked puzzled, but evidently assumed that any words they didn't understand were insulting ones, and those closest to Ninjor moved to attack. He let them get within striking distance before abruptly dropping out of sight, straight down through the ground. The Razorfins ran into each other and toppled backwards in a tangle of arms and legs. Several of them got their hooked fins tangled up, adding to the confusion. Ninjor sprung up again a few yards away and looked at the result. 

"Looks like I haven't lost my touch," he said proudly. "All right, enough playing around! Try this on for size!" 

Corcus almost forgot to put up his own defense as he watched Ninjor unsheathe his blade and dive into the crowd of monsters. For all his casual attitude, it appeared the mage _did_ know how to put up a real fight. Several Razorfins went up in sparks, dispatched to whatever afterlife there might be for monsters by the edge of his sword. 

Even so, the odds were stacked against them, and there was only so much that even the legendary Ninjor could do against so many. There were so many, in fact, that neither of them noticed that the tally was short one monster. The original Razorfin, the green one who had been talking to Corcus earlier had slipped away. Corcus couldn't have known - in the midst of a battle, one Razorfin looked more or less like another - but Cestria recognized his voice when she heard it. 

"And just where d'you think _you're_ going, guppy?" he asked. 

"Home," she said. She tried to find a way past him, but the beach was narrow, and she had a choice between wading into deep water or trying to escape into the thick forest. She doubted she could get very far either way... and wouldn't a fishy thing like a Razorfin be able to outswim her any day? She wasn't willing to bet it couldn't. 

"Right," he said. "_My_ home. The master will be happy to take you in! You'll make an excellent hostage. Come here!" 

He made a lunge at her. She evaded his reaching claws, but her feet skidded in the wet sand, and she overbalanced and fell. Immediately, a pair of rubbery arms wrapped around her and scooped her up. Her nose was assaulted by a smell of rotting fish. 

"You're coming with me, guppy," he said. 

There was a feeling of pressure, as of being beneath a great wave. Then her world went dark. 

~*~

Cestria came around slowly. She was in a dark place. The air was cold and slightly stuffy. Her head hurt. She was lying on something flat and hard, like metal or stone. She could distantly hear water running. That was as much as she could gather through her confused senses. For a while, she simply lay there, hoping her headache would let up a bit. When it didn't, she decided she probably should get up anyway. She slowly opened her eyes and looked around. 

The first thing she saw was a wall. That in itself shouldn't have been very informative, as it was only a roughly carved chunk of gray stone, slick and damp, with growths of blackish-green moss, but it told her all she needed to know. There were no walls like that anywhere near the Halls of Learning, and certainly none like it at Ninjor's temple hideaway. Seeing this wall meant she was in the wrong place, and its grim solidity was a warning that she would not be seeing the right place anytime soon, if she ever saw it again. 

Denial born of horror made her close her eyes and curl up in a protective ball. She did not want to believe she was here, that the enemy had her and that she was far away from anything that might protect her. She wanted to think that if she opened her eyes again, she would be somewhere safe - hidden in the temple, maybe, where horrors like the Razorfins would never come. She would be all right, so there was no point in opening her eyes until help came... 

She opened her eyes, disgusted at her own foolishness. She pulled herself to a sitting position and forced herself to look around, to orient herself in her new surroundings so she would have no choice but to accept them and deal with them. She was surprised to see that she was not, as she'd first guessed, in a prison cell. True, there was a heavy door between her and whatever lay beyond this room, but who would fill a prison with tables and bottles and tools? There was even a shelf full of books, carefully sealed off from the damp by glass doors. The whole scene was lit from above by glowing glass tubes full of light - rather garish, but effective. To Cestria, it looked unsettlingly like the rooms where she and her fellow students studied the making of medicines. She remembered the stories of how the Hydro Hog had experimented on the se'kanan and shivered. 

*_No wonder they didn't put me in a cell. They're going to cut me up and use me as spare parts for Razorfins..._* she thought giddily. She felt her head spin, and leaned back against the cold wall with her eyes closed, waiting for the faintness to subside. 

*_This is no time to get hysterical,_* she told herself. *_Razorfins are stupid. Think fast, and maybe you can still get out of this, or at least stay out of trouble until the others come looking for you._* 

She took deep breaths of the stuffy air, trying to get herself back under control. While she was still doing that, the door swung open, and its crash startled her into opening her eyes again. General Coldtooth was standing there, grinning at her with his serrated teeth. 

"Well, so, you're awake at last," he said. "Welcome to the home of our master. What, don't you like it? Your people thought it was good enough - good enough to drive our master here and lock him here for centuries. It's about time you were forced to accept what you delivered." 

"What do you want with me?" she asked in a near-whisper. She would have liked to sound proud and defiant, but nearly being choked earlier had made her throat sore. Coldtooth took her quietness for fear and laughed. 

"What's the matter, girlie - scared we're going to eat you? Well, we might, and we might not," he said. "While you slept, we did a little investigation, finding out who you are. We found a few interesting things in your pockets." He opened a clawed hand, showing her a length of ribbon with a bronze medallion hung on the end. "Things haven't changed much in all these years - they still give out the same old things as badges of qualification. You're a Healer-in-training, aren't you?" 

"Give that back!" said Cestria, making an uncoordinated grab for the medallion. Bad enough this slimy thing had been picking her pockets, but she had worked hard to earn that medallion! 

"Keep it," Coldtooth said, flinging the medallion contemptuously to the floor. "It won't do you any good here, anyway. You aren't going back to school anymore." 

Cestria picked up her medallion. The ribbon had trailed on the damp floor, and it was now discolored in spots where it had gathered mold and slime. 

"What's the point of keeping me?" she asked. "I'm no good to you. I'm just a student, no one special..." 

"On the contrary," said Coldtooth. "You're a friend of those Rangers. When they find out you're missing, they'll want you back. They'll be willing to bargain." 

"They won't do anything stupid just to get me back," she said. "They're too smart to trust you." 

"Then they'll leave you here," answered Coldtooth, grinning. "Then it'll be your problem, won't it?" 

Cestria bit her lip and stared at the floor. She would not be baited by this fish! 

"But that's not why you're here," the general continued. "The master has a special task for you. See, for the longest time, he's been trying to build warriors for himself. So far, he's got one decent specimen..." He paused to buff his armor in a show of mock-modesty. "But he needs more, and going is slow. You're a Healer; you know about how creatures should be put together. You're going to help him design the next wave of soldiers." 

"You must think I'm crazy," she said. 

Coldtooth shrugged. "Suit yourself. If you don't want to be helpful, we'll just cut you up and dissect you. It's been a while since we've had a genuine Aquitian to work with instead of one of these spineless slaves. Either way, you'll still be a help." 

"I - I need a moment to think about it," she said. 

"Oh, no you don't," he said. "What you mean is, you want time to see if your friends are coming. No. Either you choose to help us _now_, or you die. Choose." 

There was no arguing when the situation was laid out like that. Cestria took a deep breath, knowing what she had to do. 

"I'll help," she said. 

~*~

The last of the Razorfins went up in a burst of light. Panting, Corcus sheathed his sword and let himself fade from a legendary warrior to an everyday art student. He looked around and saw Ninjor standing some yards away, apparently surveying his work with satisfaction. There was nobody else in sight. 

*_Cestria must have gotten away,_* he thought. That was good. It would be annoying getting back to school without the aquacraft, but at least she was safe. 

"Thank you very much for your help," he said, walking over to where Ninjor stood. "I thought I was in trouble for a minute there." 

"Think nothing of it," answered the mage with an airy wave of his hand. "It's been a while since I've had a real battle. I rather enjoyed it." 

"I was impressed," said Corcus. "I've never seen a real battle-mage in action before. I wish I could learn that." 

"Maybe someday I'll give you some lessons," Ninjor answered vaguely. He was looking around as if something had just occurred to him. "By the way, where did Cestria go? She was here a minute ago." 

"I believe she must have fled when the Razorfins attacked," Corcus replied. "I lost track of her during the battle, but when I last saw her, she was heading for the aquacraft." 

"Hm," said Ninjor. "It wouldn't hurt to double-check. I have a feeling..." 

Exactly what he felt was never said, but he began striding up the beach at a speed that was surprising, considering how much weight in armor he was carrying. Corcus had to jog to keep up. The two of them dashed up the beach - and then stopped. The aquacraft was still sitting innocently beside the water, untouched. 

"I don't think she's gone home," said Ninjor. 

"Well, she couldn't have gone far," Corcus answered, looking around as if he expected her to come walking out of the trees. "We'll have to look for her." He started to move towards the jungle, but Ninjor stopped him with an outstretched hand. 

"Wait. Let me finish looking here, first," he said. 

While Corcus watched, puzzled, Ninjor began walking slowly along the beach, staring at the sand. 

"What do you see?" asked Corcus finally. 

"Footprints," Ninjor replied. "A Razorfin stood here." He tapped the ground with his sword. "A body fell here. These appear to be clawmarks. It looks as if she fell, and the beast picked her up and removed her." 

"Removed her? Removed her to where?" 

"That would be what we need to find out," Ninjor replied. "Come on." 

He grabbed Corcus's shoulder, and the next thing the boy knew, he was falling into a vortex of blue light and was gone. 

~*~

By the flickering, eye straining light that flooded her cell, Cestria tried to read the books she had been left with. Despite her words to General Coldfin, she had no intention of helping these monsters do anything, but she needed time for her friends to find her and rescue her, and in the meantime, she had to look like she was keeping busy. In the meantime, the reading material, though disagreeable, was at least enlightening. She had discovered that the books on the shelf were actually the records of how the Razorfins had been designed. Presumably whoever was in charge of this operation felt very confident about their ability to keep her from escaping to her friends, or else they never would have given her such a rich source of information about how her enemies were constructed. She was determined that she would escape somehow, but in the meantime, she needed to learn as much about them as she could. 

So far, though, she had done very little but make herself thoroughly disgusted - and amazed that anything as cobbled-together as those Razorfins didn't fall apart as they stood. The Hydro Hog might be a deadly dangerous foe in combat, but he didn't know the first thing about how a living being ought to be put together. All the major pieces were there - heart, brain, stomach, muscles, and so on - but smaller, more obscure things had been downsized or skipped entirely. Looking at the muddle that had been made of their glands and nervous system, she wondered all over again how the things managed to survive. 

*_It's a lucky thing I don't plan to stay,_* she thought, as she paused to rub her tired eyes. *_These creatures don't need a student-Healer; they need a miracle worker. It would take me the rest of my life to undo half this mess._* 

She sighed and went back to looking at the book again. No matter what her opinion on the Razorfins' creator was, the fact of the matter was that the beasts did seem to survive, and do so over extended periods of time. How was that? By the pure magic that allowed some mages to bring inanimate objects to life? If that was so, why bother creating life at all? Why not just animate statues or somesuch? No, these things had to have been created with a form of self-sustainment that would allow them to survive without their master constantly pouring more power into them. If only she could learn what it was, maybe she could find a way to break it off... 

*_What am I thinking? Do I think I can wipe out the Hydro Hog's entire army single handed? That's crazy..._* 

A wave of dizziness rocked her, and she closed her eyes and pressed her face into her hands. She had been feeling woozy ever since she'd awakened from her involuntary nap, but she'd expected to be over it by now. She was healer enough to know that she hadn't been badly damaged - it had been more shock than anything else that made her faint - so why wasn't she recovering? She swallowed, trying to moisten her dry throat, and rubbed her itching eyes. 

*_I need to rehydrolize,_* she realized. She would have laughed at herself if it hadn't been so serious. Most of the time, living close to the water as she did, the process of drawing strength from the water happened so naturally that she didn't even have to think about it. The only time it needed a conscious effort was when she ventured deep into the city, further from the ocean walls, and had to replenish her strength by the side of one of the many public ponds or fountains scattered around for the purpose. 

*_There must be water nearby - I can hear it. So why am I not rehydrolizing?_* 

Puzzled and a bit worried, she folded her hands and attempted to draw the strength from the water she knew must be nearby - and something rocked her, nearly making her topple out of her chair in surprise. Her stomach rebelled as if she had eaten something noxious, and she could feel her eyes and nose begin to stream. Immediately she broke out of her meditative stance to attend to her more immediate problems. Breathing fast and fighting back nausea, she tried to get herself back under control. 

"Poison?" she whispered. 

Unsteadily, she got to her feet and began making a methodical search of the room. The entire time she'd been there, she'd been hearing the regular dripping of water. Water was such a part of her life that she barely thought about it, and had blocked out the sound while she'd worked. Now she searched for it. At last, she found a drip from the ceiling, and she held out her cupped hands to catch a bit. It puddled in her palms, and she stared at it, frowning. Then she carried it over to the light and looked again. The water was black. Not darkened by the room's shadows, as she had thought at first, or polluted by grime or mold, but _black_, black as ink. She didn't know how such a thing could be, but she was willing to bet her diploma that the stuff wasn't wholesome. 

She dumped the pernicious stuff on the floor and wiped her hands vigorously on her skirt, leaving behind a set of dark stains, but that was the least of her worries. She went and rattled on her door. 

"Guard! Guard!" she shouted. Her voice sounded thin and weak in her ears. Already it rasped a bit from thirst. It would be a wonder if anyone heard her. 

The door, at least, rattled and clanged loudly enough to catch anyone's attention, and soon, an irritated-looking greenfin soldier came slogging up the hall to see what she wanted. 

"What's all that noise, prisoner?" he grunted. "You're waking us up." 

"I need water," she said. 

"You've got water," he said. "It's all over the place. Use it." 

"I can't. I mean, I need _clean_ water, like from the outer ocean," she said. 

"You can't have it. Get back to work." 

"_Please,_" she begged. "If I don't get it soon, I'll be too sick to work." 

The greenfin stared at her through the barred window, and she waited, afraid to look too eager lest he decide to refuse out of pure malice. Luckily, either he was too stupid to think of such a thing, or he just didn't want her to die before his master decided whether or not to kill her, because he grunted and said, "If you _have_ to have it..." and shuffled off. 

Cestria went limp with relief. There was one hurdle cleared, at least. With a sigh, she went back to her books to try to concentrate on her work until he returned. She wouldn't let herself think he would change his mind, or forget, or be unable to... 

Her eyes stung her again, and she blinked furiously. 

*_You can't cry now,_* she scolded herself. *_You'll waste what water you've got, and for what? Feeling sorry for yourself? That's fair stupid, and you know it. Work!_* 

She shook her head at her own foolishness and went back to her studies. All around her, the dark water dripped and gurgled, becoming ever harder to ignore the drier and thirstier she felt. It was torment being so surrounded by water and being dehydrated at the same time! Further down the tunnel, she could hear the mutterings and grumblings of the Razorfin soldiers. 

*_I could almost feel sorry for the brutes,_* she mused. *_How do they ever stand living down here?_* 

~*~

Many miles away, one of Cestria's schoolmates was also deeply involved in his studies. Tideus was sitting in his room, his nose buried in a book as he tried to extract the most pertinent points for a paper he was writing. He'd never enjoyed writing, being more inclined to do things than to want to tell people about them, and he was torn between wishing everyone in the school would be quiet so he could concentrate, and wishing something would come up so he wouldn't have to do this anymore. 

The door flew open, and Tideus looked up and glared at Corcus. 

"This had better be good," he said. 

"It's bad," Corcus panted, clutching at a stitch in his side. "Cestria's gone. The Razorfins got her." 

"What?" Tideus yelped. "When? How? For goodness' sakes, why?" 

"For ransom, or something like it, I'll bet," Corcus replied. "I've already told most of the others. Do you know where Aurico is? We've got to get to Ninjor right away and figure out how to rescue her!" 

"I'll find him. He's probably at the training yard," Tideus replied. "We'll meet you at the temple." 

Corcus nodded his understanding and raced off again. The sooner they were all together and working on the problem, the sooner he could relax a little. Unproductive as he knew it was, he couldn't help mentally berating himself for letting this happen. If only he hadn't brought her to the surface... if only they'd had someone with them... if only he had called for help sooner... if only he'd kept a closer watch on her... 

Well, too late for that now. Now the only option was to find her, find her before her time ran out. He didn't want to even think about what might be happening to her now. She was probably locked up in some cold, dark cell right now. Could they be torturing her, or...? Breathless as he was, he pushed himself to run faster. 

He reached a courtyard where Delphine and Corcus were already waiting for him, fidgeting. 

"I found Tideus, and he says he'll bring Aurico soon as he finds him," Corcus gasped. 

"Then we can leave at once," Cestro replied. 

The others nodded. In a flickering flash, the three of them vanished. 

An eyeblink later, they reappeared in the secret chamber beneath the temple. Ninjor was already waiting for them, pacing the floor in impatience or frustration. Seconds later, Aurico and Tideus joined them. 

"What's going on?" Aurico asked. "Tideus only said there was an emergency." 

"Cestria's been kidnapped," said Corcus bitterly. "I tried to protect her, but..." 

"We'll have none of that here," said Ninjor, cutting him off. "Doubt and self-blame are as much tools of the enemy as their guns and swords. You did everything you could be expected to do, under the circumstances. I won't hear you telling us how it's all your fault when we all know it isn't." 

Corcus stared at him a moment, startled. Then he relaxed. 

"I know, you're right," he said. "I just feel like I ought to have done something..." 

"Do something now," Delphine suggested. "Have we made any attempt to ascertain where Cestria is now?" 

It was Ninjor's turn to look dejected. "Some, unfortunately." 

"Why is that unfortunate?" Cestro asked. 

"Because it wasn't good news. I was able to trace the energy trail left by her teleportation... and it leads directly to the Black Ocean." 

Uneasy looks were exchanged. The Black Ocean was a place out of legends, said to be home to every kind of monster imaginable. It was said any Aquitian who ventured into that place would never return. It was the place where all their childhood nightmares resided, the punishment threatened when they had been disobedient as children. _"If you don't behave, I'll send you to the Black Ocean!"_ _"Unless you want to live in the Black Ocean, you had better clean your room!"_ Even now that they were supposed to be too old for that kind of nonsense, the name was still synonymous with every horror, real and imagined, they had ever heard of. 

"The Black Ocean," said Tideus slowly. "Well, why not? Every other kind of unpleasant legend seems to be coming true. Why not that one?" 

"I am speaking of the Ocean of legends," said Ninjor, "and like every legend, it has some basis in fact and a great deal in exaggeration. The Black Ocean covers an area of deep water, marked by a trench reaching deep into the planet's crust. Over the years, toxic chemicals have leached out of this rock, turning the water black and poisoning nearly everything that lives there. A natural reef has blocked off most of this black water, and generations of spells have helped to prevent the poison's spread. Your people no longer have to worry about it, these days... except that it was chosen as the place where the Hydro Hog would be imprisoned. They thought he would eventually be poisoned by the black water, but he seems to have adapted to it." 

"What about Cestria?" asked Delphined. 

"I am afraid she won't fare so well. Without clean, fresh water, she won't last long down there." 

"Then we have to go get her now, before she gets too dehydrated," said Aurico. 

"And how would you rehydrolize there?" Ninjor asked. 

Everyone glanced at each other. Aurico scowled his chagrin. 

"You won't be able to survive there for very long," said Ninjor, "so it is imperative that you plan your movements before you try anything. Your power suits will protect you from the poison's effects for a little while, and I can offer you some magical protection, but it will take most of what I can muster to get you past the Hydro Hog's warning spells without triggering them. I can't promise you'll be safe there for more than, say... the equivalent of one of your marks." 

"That little time?" asked Tideus. "Some of my classes last longer than that!" 

"It's the best I can do! I'm a Gridmaster, not a deity," said Ninjor in frustration. "I can do a great deal given enough time to prepare, but if you want to hurry, you'll have to settle for a bit less than my best." 

"I'm sorry," said Tideus. "I didn't mean to insult you." 

Ninjor nodded acceptance of the apology. 

"Now, I'll tell you what we need to do," he said. "Somehow, we're going to have to work out exactly where she is, so you can be transported as close to her as possible, grab her, and get her out in a hurry. You'll have to be careful. No doubt there will be guards posted, and she will probably be in a weakened condition by the time you get to her. If that's the case, you might have to revive her before you can transport her - otherwise, the shock of teleporting might be too much for her. Does everyone understand?" 

The others nodded. Tidues muttered softly, "Just when we could have used some healing expertise... wouldn't you know it would be for our Healer!" 

~*~

Cestria was alerted to the fact that she had company by the sound of something sloshing. She looked up from her studies to see the green Razorfin standing outside, holding a large jug of water. 

"Is this enough?" he grunted. 

"I - yes, that will be fine," she answered, a little surprised. 

"Good. I wasn't gonna go back and get you any more," the Razorfin replied. He opened the door, quickly shoved the jug inside, and slammed it again. "Disgusting! Don't know how you people stand this stuff." 

Cestria pounced on the bottle eagerly and uncorked it. Sure enough, it was full to the top with clean, cool water. She rehydrolized as quickly as she could, then carefully poured out a bit for her to drink and wash her hands. Anyone as closely linked to water as her people were appreciated being clean. 

*_It's puzzling,_* she mused, as she carefully resealed her precious water supply. *_Who would have thought that anything as fishlike as the Razorfins would be averse to water? They're linked to us, somewhere far back along the line - you'd think they would depend on it as much as we do..._* 

Something sparked in the back of her brain. Immediately, she dashed back to the books she'd been flipping through and turned all the way to the back of the nearest volume. As she'd hoped, there was a rough index, and she ran her finger down the columns until she found the word "water." She turned rapidly to the page number indicated and began reading the entry. 

"_...been having trouble keeping the __kinus-paric_ together," she muttered, reading aloud from the book. "Let's see here... _tried to find a way to make them draw power from the water like those Aquitians do... need a way to make them work with the black water..._ That's it! The Razorfins take their power from this black stuff like we draw power from water! They have to have it to survive... When we attacked that Razorfin back at the jewelry shop, even its blood was black, like the water here. I wonder what it would do if I introduced them to some _real_ water?" 

She stared at the water jug thoughtfully. It was possible that they didn't like plain water just because they had always known the black water and considered anything else strange... but there was also a slim chance that they might have some kind of adverse reaction to it... maybe even enough to do real damage. 

*_No point in taking risks,_* she told herself. *_Patience. Make sure you know what you're doing before you try anything fancy._* 

She knew what that meant: more research! She thought she might qualify for a journeyman-Healer's silver medallion just for surviving this. _If_ she survived. Oh, well... back to work! 

Time slipped by. It was uncomfortable in the cell, penetratingly cold and too damp for even an Aqutian's comfort. Her fingers were beginning to stiffen up from the chill, and she rubbed her hands together to try to warm them. It didn't help much. It was difficult to even turn the pages of the book, much less read it. Much of it was in an antiquated script, and the language was equally difficult to read. Delphine had taught her a little of the old speech - it was commonly used for legal terms and other formal terminology - and it was still used for most medical terms, but even so, there were still whole sections she couldn't make heads or tails of. It didn't help that whoever had written this had meant his works as notes to himself, not to be easily read by a frightened student-Healer. 

After a time, there was a rattle of keys, and Cestria turned, expecting to see Coldtooth returning, or perhaps one of the other soldiers checking up on her. She hardly dared to hope it would be her friends. Would they bother with keys? She stared intently at the door as it swung slowly open. 

"So, this is the best hostage my slobbering soldiers could dredge up," said the Hydro Hog, fixing her with a goggle-eyed glare. "Huh! I've seen more impressive stuff washed up on the beach!" 

Cestria was speechless. She had never seen this creature before, but she knew just by his speech and bearing that he was no soldier. He had the swagger of someone in authority, and despite his repulsive appearance, there was a coherency to him that his lesser creations didn't have. She tried not to grimace as he plodded inside, bringing a heavy, fishy odor into the room. Confronted by this hulking, bloated figure, Cestria felt she was being pressed against the wall. The monster set his pudgy fists on his hips and stared down at her, and she cringed away from him. 

"Looks like you're having fun," he said, surveying the heap of books on her table. "Having fun, are you? Learning a lot, I'll wager. Aren't you?" 

She managed a timid, "Yes?" 

"Finding out everything you can about my Razorfins, are you?" 

"Yessir." 

"Planning on helping me improve them, isn't that right?" 

"Yessir." 

"Wrong!" 

With a brusque movement, he swept his arm across the table, scattering the books and instruments. Cestria ducked out of the way, squeaking in fright, as his hand came dangerously close to striking her. The Hydro Hog laughed soggily. 

"Yeah, sure, I believe that!" he said. "The best friend of the Power Ranger is gonna help me - voluntarily! That's a good one!" 

He reached out and grabbed her by the chin, jerking her head around and up so she was staring him in the face. He was grinning, showing off badly-aligned sets of jagged teeth. 

"You listen," he said. "You might fool my stinking soldiers with your act, but you aren't fooling me! You're in here trying to figure out how to undo all my hard work, aren't you?" 

Cestria remained silent; his massive hand had her jaw immobilized. 

"Well, I'm wise to your tricks, little girl. You're gonna sit here and do your work. Find out whatever you want - _but_... I'm gonna keep an eye on you. In a few minutes, I'm gonna send somebody in here to check on you, and you'd _better_ have something good to tell him, understand?" 

She gave a tiny nod. 

The Hydro Hog laughed. "I know what you're thinking. You're gonna just make something up, aren't you? Just make any old thing up to try to keep me in murky water. You're gonna forget that I made all these Razorfins myself, and I'll _know_ if you start lying to me. Got it?" 

It was on Cestria's tongue to say that if he really had known exactly what was and wasn't good for the Razorfins, he would have built them better in the first place. She concentrated on making it look like she was taking him seriously. It wasn't hard; the way he was twisting her head was painful, and she was sure he could snap her neck like she would break a sewing thread, if he took a notion. 

"You're gonna behave, girlie," he said. "Just so you know, anything you decide to try on my soldiers, you're gonna have to prove is safe. Do you know how you're gonna do that?" 

She shook her head. 

"Anything you dish out, you'll have to take yourself first! How about that, huh?" 

He didn't wait for an answer. He gave her a shove that sent her toppling to the floor, banging her elbow on the stone floor. She yelped in pain, and he laughed. 

"First lesson," he said. "That'll be the least of what you feel if you haven't got something to show for yourself soon." 

She remained silent. Slowly, she got to her feet and climbed back into her chair. The Hydro Hog glared at her suspiciously, as if still suspecting rebellion, but he said nothing. With many a glance over his shoulder, he plodded out of the room and slammed the door behind him. Cestria devoted her attention to re-gathering her notes. If his visit had been meant to scare her into obedience, he was mistaken. One part of his warning stuck in her mind: she was now on a time limit, and probably a short one. In the next few minutes, she was going to have to find a way to stop a Razorfin. 

~*~

"I think we've found her." 

The other Rangers, who had been fidgeting at one of the tables or aimlessly pacing the floor, looked up at Cestro. He and Ninjor had been hard at work scanning for Cestria's exact location. It was proving to be a difficult task. Between the spell that held the Hydro Hog captive, the monster's own magic, and the influences of the Black Ocean itself, locating anything down there took a certain amount of finesse. Even now the readings they were getting were fuzzy. 

"You have?" Corcus was on his feet in an instant. "Where? Where is she? Is she all right?" 

"Yes, we have," said Cestro, "and she appears to be in a containment unit not very far from the Hydro Hog's own lair, so we shall have to be very careful about how we go about rescuing her. The last thing we want is to catch his attention." 

"To answer your last question, she seems to be holding up well," said Ninjor, noting that Corcus did not look especially comforted by Cestro's explanations. "Her energy signature is still strong, even through all this interference. She's probably all right." 

"But her chances of staying that way are diminishing the longer we stay here," said Delphine. "Are we ready to depart?" 

"I am," said Aurico. 

"I think you are," said Ninjor. "I will transport you as close to Cestria's location as I can manage. I've done what I can to boost your power suits' protection, but don't stay there a minute longer than you have to, understood?" 

The Rangers nodded. 

"Fine," he said. "Make your transformations. I'll take care of the rest." 

"Thank you," said Delphine, nodding to him. "Now, to work! Powers of Water, Powers of Light, powers _unite!_" 

There was a burst of light, just as always - but the light turned to darkness, and their vision filled with impressions of blue-black waves and swirling shadows. For a moment, they felt as if they were lost, floating in some bottomless space, and then... 

Then they were spilling out onto a cold stone floor. They landed badly, bumping knees and elbows as they were unceremoniously dropped from a foot or two off the ground. Had it not been for their protective suits, they would have been badly bruised. They carefully picked themselves up and looked around. 

"Am I still here?" said Corcus vaguely. 

"It _was_ rather a difficult trip," Cestro answered, sounding breathless, "but we still seem to be in one piece." 

"Where are we now?" asked Tideus, looking around. The scenery was uninformative; they were standing in a long, shadowed hallway, made primarily of curved walls bolstered by arches, like the ribcage of some strange animal. There were no visible lamps, but the walls had a blue sheen to them, as of some type of fungus, which cast faint illumination. There were no doors, and both directions looked exactly the same. 

"Judging by the maps we were studying," said Cestro, "I believe this is a secondary hallway, just off the hall that leads to the Hydro Hog's inner sanctum. If we follow it in one way, it will lead us there; the other way will eventually bring us to the passage where Cestria is being held." 

"Well, which was is which?" Aurico demanded. 

"That's just it. I don't know." 

"A fifty-fifty chance," Delphine murmured. "We'll just have to choose. Tideus - your luck is usually good. Which way would you go?" 

The Yellow Ranger glanced one way and the other. 

"Behind us," he said. "Considering the way things have been going, it would have been too much to hope we'd land pointing in the right direction." 

"Fair enough," said Delphine. "We'll go that way. Quiet, now." 

Moving as softly and stealthily as they knew how, they began inching their way down the dark passage. 

~*~

The labels on the bottles of chemicals, at least, were easy to read. A thousand years hadn't changed the symbols the Aqutiains used to identify things like silicon or carbon. Cestria wanted neither, so she passed by the jar of purified sand and another full of black powder, before finally choosing a large vessel full of some brilliantly white substance. She lifted it carefully - it was made of smooth glass, and was too large for her small hands to manage easily - and set it down on the table, where she could pry it open. Already set out on the desk was a large bowl full of some faintly pinkish substance. She checked her notes again; the amount of chemicals needed had been figured out precisely. Too much of the white stuff in the jar, and it would be deadly. Carefully, she began spooning white powder into the bowl and stirring it. 

There was a knock at her door. She looked up, feeling her stomach clench. 

*_Let's hope this works!_* 

"Hey, you!" barked the authoritative voice of General Coldtooth. "You ready in there yet?" 

"I'm just finishing," she said. 

"Humph. I'll believe it when I see it," he said, shoving the door open. 

"You'll see it, you'll see it," she said. "Look, there it is, right there, see?" 

Coldtooth eyed the mixture she had made. The pinkish stuff in the dish didn't look all that impressive, and Cestria knew it. 

"And what," he growled, "is that supposed to be?" 

"It's like - it's like medicine," she said, trying desperately to think of ways to explain medical terms to this creature. "I've been going over the plans for the creation of the Razorfins, and there are some problems with hormonal imbalances that need to be corrected for you to function at your best." 

"So you say," Coldtooth muttered. 

"It will work," she said. "It just has to be injected into your bloodstream to do its work." 

"Oh, no you don't," he said. "I don't trust you for one minute. You're trying to pull a fast one on old General Coldtooth, aren't you?" 

"No, never! Don't you think I know you could bite my head off if you felt like it? I'm just trying to stay alive," she said. 

"Well, then," he said, "I suppose you know what the master said - whatever you concoct, you have to take it first. Right?" 

She nodded. "I'll prove its safe. Just watch." 

With a hand that shook slightly out of nervousness, she reached for one of two sterilized needles that were resting on the desk, filling it partway with some of the pink mixture. Then, gritting her teeth, she pressed the needle into her skin and injected the liquid. Coldtooth watched her carefully. Nothing bad seemed to happen. 

"See?" she said. "Harmless." 

Coldtooth still did not look particularly impressed. 

"It probably doesn't do anything," he said. 

"You won't know if you don't try it," she said. 

"You watch your mouth. This is General Coldtooth you're talking to." 

"I'm sorry. If you don't want it, I can try to fix something else..." 

"Never mind that - give it here! And no funny stuff, or..." He flexed his claws meaningfully. 

Cestria hurriedly took the second syringe and filled it. Coldtooth watched her suspiciously. 

"You put more in this time," he said. 

"You're bigger than me," she said. "I only took a little, to show you it wouldn't hurt, but it will take a lot more to show any real difference." 

"You're up to something," he said. 

"If that's what you want to believe," she said. "Maybe your master will let someone else try it instead?" 

"Hey, are you saying I'm a coward?" 

"Of course not. I'm just saying you don't have to try it if you don't want to." 

I said I was going to take it and I'm going to take it! Go on - do whatever it is you have to do, and make it snappy!" 

"All right. Hold your arm out, please." 

Coldtooth held out his arm, and Cestria carefully pressed the needle to the vein in his arm, watching as the pink liquid slowly drained out. 

"That should do it," she said. 

"I don't feel any different," he said. "Are you sure that stuff worked?" 

"It might take a minute to have any effect," she said. She tried not to let her nervousness show - or at least, to let him think that her nervousness was about fear of not pleasing his master. According to her carefully made calculations, the concoction she'd injected him with should have been enough to send him into shock, if not kill him outright. Unfortunately, the records she'd been left with had not been concerned with the making of the Hydro Hog's most advanced creation - either he didn't want such information falling into her hands, or it was only the greens and silvers he felt needed improving. If it turned out that he was sufficiently different from them that her potion wouldn't work... 

In that moment of silence, there was a sound. It was not a very loud sound - in fact, if the two of them had still been conversing, they wouldn't have heard it at all over the constant trickling of water. However, they did hear it, and both of them turned their attention towards it. It was a soft annoyed mutter, as someone might make if they had stumbled and bumped into something when they were trying to be stealthy. Both Cestria and the general could tell it hadn't been made by a Razorfin or a _se'kanan_. 

"So," Coldtooth whispered, his voice a sibilant hiss, "they're here." 

"Oh no," said Cestria. 

The general laughed. "The fools! They're here to try a rescue! As if they could get away with it right under our master's nose! Well, we can't have that. Come on!" 

"What? Why me?" 

"I want you where I can see you, that's why! You'll try something if you know your friends are nearby, but they won't do a thing as long as I've got you in my clutches. Quit arguing! _Move!_" 

One clawed hand was clapped on her shoulder; she could feel his talons pricking her skin, hard enough to draw blood. She staggered forward, beginning to feel faintly panicky. There was still power in that grip, more than a mere Aquitian ever had. If her potion hadn't worked... 

The door to Cestria's cell was flung open with a reverberating crash, and the Rangers looked up in alarm. Just moments ago, Cestro had slipped in an invisible patch of dampness on the floor, and all of them had been waiting to hear if anyone had heard the noise from that misstep. The clanging door affirmed their worst fears. 

"They've heard us," said Corcus in a panicked whisper. "We're never going to find her now. They're going to come and get us..." 

"Stay calm!" Delphine snapped, not even bothering to stay quiet. "We've come this far, and we are not going to back down now!" 

"That's right," said a distant - but rapidly nearing - voice. "Go ahead and swim into our nets like the good little fish you are." 

Aurico tensed; he remembered that voice. "General Coldtooth!" 

The general oozed out from around a corner, grinning at them all with his sharklike teeth. 

"That's right. Nice of you to remember my name. Can't say I bothered to do as much for you. It's not like I'll be needing it for much longer, anyway. Come to bargain for your little friend, have you?" 

"We make no bargains with the likes of you," Delphine replied. "You stole her, so we've come to steal her back. That is fair, is it not?" 

"Oh, I don't think you're going to be doing any stealing," said Coldtooth, widening his grin. From behind the corner, he hauled Cestria, jerking her in front of him and laying his claws to her throat. Corcus tried to move towards her, but the others held him back. 

"That's right," Coldtooth sneered. "One false move, and no Healer alive will be able to save her. You're going to bargain, all right, if you want her alive at all." 

Delphine regarded him warily. "I should have expected tactics like this from one such as you. What do you want from us?" 

"Oh, I don't know," he said. "We'll have to talk it out with my master. Maybe he'll have you trade one of your own for her, or maybe he'll just have you turn over your powers to him, or..." 

He trailed off suddenly, frowning. To the observing Rangers, it seemed that he was feeling uncomfortable. He swallowed a few times, as if his throat was dry, and his hands were beginning to tremble. Now that all was silent, they could hear that his breath was rasping in his throat. 

"What... what is this?" he stammered. He glared at Cestria, eyes bulging. "You! You did this, you..." 

At that moment, Cestria performed a quick twist, wrenching herself free from his grasp, at the same time elbowing him very hard in the stomach. He gasped as the breath was knocked from his lungs, and he sank to his knees, clawing vaguely at the air. Cestria scooted for the safety of her friends. 

"Aurico taught me how to fight, too, you know!" she shouted back at him. 

He didn't answer; he no longer seemed to have any breath in his body. He stared at her a moment longer, his gaze one of pure hatred. Then he slumped to the floor and lay still, until he finally broke up into blue sparks and vanished. The Rangers stared, first at the place where he used to be, then at Cestria, who was standing and trembling, breathing as if trying to hold off a fit of hysterics. 

"Cestria?" asked Delphine gently. "Are you all right?" 

Cestria remained still for a moment longer, biting her lip and shivering. Then the dam broke, and she flung herself at her friend and buried her face against her shoulder. 

"I want to go home," she said. 

"I think we can manage that," answered Cestro. "Let's get out of this nasty place so we can regroup." 

The others agreed wholeheartedly, and in a flash, they were speeding back to the safe white haven of the temple. 

~*~

Ninjor was pacing the floor when the Rangers returned from their trip. He was rather startled by this - largely because they almost didn't have enough power to make it back to the temple, and landed by falling from some five feet off the floor. Cestria reappeared by falling almost on top of him, and he almost couldn't react fast enough to catch her. The others did not have such easy landings, and fell in undignified heaps on the floor. That was as much as their abused power systems could take, and they reverted back to their ordinary selves. 

"Warn me before you do that!" said Ninjor. 

"Believe me," said Tideus, getting up stiffly and rubbing at his bruised backside, "we didn't do it on purpose." 

"Um. Well," said Ninjor. "But I see you did indeed accomplish your objective. Hello again, young lady. Welcome back." 

"Thank you," she answered, still sounding somewhat shaken. "Um... no offense, but could you put me down, please?" 

"Oh! Of course." He carefully placed her back on her feet. She immediately headed for one of the nearby benches and sat down. 

"Are you all right now?" asked Corcus anxiously. "They didn't hurt you, did they? You didn't get dehydrated, did you?" 

"I'm fine," she answered. "I'm just a little... a little tired, is all. Really." 

"Don't pick on her," said Delphine. "She's had a difficult afternoon. She needs to collect herself." 

"Can she tell us what just happened, while she's collecting herself?" asked Cestro. "I won't be happy until I know why General Coldtooth dropped dead for no evident reason." 

"General Coldtooth is dead?" asked Ninjor, sounding surprised. "How in the name of all powers did that happen? I didn't think you all were up to starting any battles down there, especially with the likes of him." 

"They didn't kill him," answered Cestria. "I did." 

Ninjor's blink of surprise was almost audible. "You?" 

She nodded. "I poisoned him." 

"Poisoned him? With what?" asked Cestro. "I can't imagine they'd just let you have poisons down there, not if they thought you would be going around killing Razorfins with them." 

"They didn't know," Cestria explained. "The Razorfin constructs... well, whoever made them didn't know much about biochemistry, and he did a bad job of it. He wanted me to fix the problems, because I'm a Healer, and I _do_ know those things. He gave me some of the plans he used to make them, and I used them to learn where the Razorfin's weaknesses are. It turns out, they had to be made to withstand the toxic water they have down there - they're dependent on it. On the other hand, plain old ocean water is as toxic for them as it is healthy for us. I mixed up a batch of salt water, with a little harmless coloring to make it look better, and convinced him it was good for him, and he took it. For a minute, I thought it wouldn't work, but I guess it just took a little while to take effect." 

She finished her explanation and looked around. Everyone was staring at her with blank amazement. Tideus broke the silence by laughing. 

"So much for us needing to rescue you!" he said. "You've outdone all of us today!" 

"I have?" she asked. 

"Absolutely," said Ninjor. "For one thing, you single-handedly defeated our enemy's most powerful and intelligent soldier. It will take him a long time to replace such a loss. For another, you've learned valuable information about how to battle the rest of his forces. Your bravery and intelligence has in all probability saved your friends many difficult and dangerous battles. The world of Aquitar is in your debt." 

Cestria blushed vividly. "I wasn't thinking about any of that. I was so scared, I just wanted to get away..." 

Delphine set a hand on her shoulder. "You behaved as a true hero. We are all proud to have you among us." 

"The battle isn't over yet," said Ninjor solemnly. "The Hydro Hog is still out there, and he won't take any of this kindly. He will try to retaliate. The day may even come when he escapes his prison entirely. You must all continue to be on guard. However... if what I've seen today is any indication, I believe you _will_ triumph." 

"We will," answered Delphine, "with the help of our friends." 

She smiled at Cestria, who smiled back. Just now, she could believe Ninjor's words were true. These people, her dear friends - proud Delphine, gentle Corcus, brave Aurico, clever Tideus, wise Cestro, and of course their eccentric mentor - they _would_ prevail. Even more importantly, she was sure now that she'd be helping them every step of the way. 

**THE END**


End file.
